NIGK14056U Climate Change and Water Resources

Volume 2015/2016
Education

MSc Programme in Climate Change
MSc Programme in Geology-Geoscience

Content

The contents of the course comprise the following elements:

1. Climate modeling principles for global and regional scales and links to hydrology. IPCC scenarios and projections of climate change. Retrieval of climate projection scenarios of daily values of precipitation and other meteorological variables for near, middle and far periods for one or two areas in Denmark.

Introduction to bias correction methods of climate model results. Correction for biases in climate projection scenarios using different bias correction methods. Statistical analysis of current and projected climate conditions on seasonal and annual basis.
 
2. Hydrological processes at catchment scale. Intróduction to rainfall-runoff processes and hydrological modeling. Simulation of the hydrological cycle at catchment scale using a simple conceptual hydrological model. Simple model calibration principles. Calibration of model for catchments representing different geological conditions. Predictions and analysis of impacts of climate change on the hydrological cycle including stream flow, evapotranspiration, and recharge. Statistical analysis of extreme events including floods and droughts.
 

Learning Outcome

The aim of the course is to give an introduction to the topic of climate change and water resources, including understanding and modeling of hydrological processes at various scales. After completing the course the student should be able to:


Knowledge:

Understand and describe how climate change impacts the hydrological cycle

Account for different approaches to modeling hydrological processes

Skills:

Use two different hydrological models for studying the impacts of climate change on water resources and hydrological processes

Use of statistical methods for analysis of extreme events

Competences:

Assess the impacts of climate change on hydrological processes and water resources using the appropriate modeling tools

Please see Absalon course page.

BSc in Natural Resources, Food Science, Landscape Architecture, Biology-Biotechnology, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography and Geoinformatics and Geology-Geoscience from University of Copenhagen or equivalent.
The form of teaching is theory exercises combined with ad hoc lectures. For the teaching plan, please see Absalon.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Guidance
  • 35
  • Preparation
  • 136
  • Theory exercises
  • 35
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Oral examination, 20 minutes
The written assignment is prepared during the course and must be handed in prior to the exam week. The oral exam uses the written assignment as its point of departure. It includes the titles listed in the officially approved reading list.
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Exam period

Several internal examiners.

Criteria for exam assesment

See learning outcome.