Current Biological Systems Engineering Courses

BSE 473 – Irrigation and Drainage Systems Design (Fall semesters)

A required course for BSE Natural Resource & Environment undergraduate students and covers the physical, chemical and biological principles related to the proper design of irrigation and drainage   systems as well as the full engineering design of both systems. The subjects are taught within the context of water supply issues.

BSE 508 and 509 – Biological Systems Engineering Design I and II

Faculty advisor for senior design projects in natural resources & environmental engineering.

BSE 571 – Small Watershed Engineering (Spring semesters)

A required course in the BSE Natural Resource & Environment option area with advanced-level treatment of hydrologic and sedimentologic principles and prediction in ungauged watersheds. This course prepares students to fully execute their senior design project.

Water Resources Management Courses

ENVIR ST 717 – Water Resources Management Practicum Planning Seminar I (Fall 2015, 2016, 2017)

Stormwater sampling at Sticker’s Pond. Photo credit: Sarah Fuller.

A graduate level course required of all Water Resources Management MS students in the Nelson Institute. This is the first of two seminars used for planning the activities (field work, analysis, reporting) of the Summer Session Water Resources Management Practicum (ENVIR ST 719).

2015-16: Stricker’s Pond

2016-17: Beaver Dam Lake

2017 – 18: Waubesa Wetlands Watershed

 

ENVIR ST 718 – Water Resources Management Practicum Planning Seminar II  (Spring 2016, 2017, 2018)

Measuring flow in a tributary into Waubesa Wetlands. Photo credit: Rachel Johnson.

A graduate level course required of all Water Resources Management MS students in the Nelson Institute. This is the second of  two seminars used for planning the activities (field work, analysis, reporting) of the Summer Session Water Resources Management Practicum (ENVIR ST 719).

2015-16: Stricker’s Pond

2016-17: Beaver Dam Lake

2017 – 18: Waubesa Wetlands Watershed

 

 

ENVIR ST 719 – Water Resources Management Practicum (Summer 2016, 2017, 2018)

Waubesa Wetlands WRM cohort. Photo credit: Rachel Johnson.

A graduate level course required of all Water Resources Management MS students in the Nelson Institute. Interdisciplinary teams of students and staff work closely with agency personnel, citizen groups, and/or private sector representatives on the analysis of a contemporary, problem-oriented water resource issue. Physical, biological, economic, and social aspects of the issue are integrated into the analysis through the use of small teams and group discussion, extensive interviewing, and literature review. Comprehensive report required on the practicum’s findings and management recommendations. All final reports can be found here.

Previous Courses

 

Short Course: Estimating and Measuring the Water Balance Components and Water Quality in Small Agricultural Watersheds (December 2018)

Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN), IIT-Kharagpur, India

This short course addressed hydrologic and water quality concepts that are critical for assessing and managing non-point source pollution in small agricultural watersheds. Key topics included water balance estimation methods, interpretation of precipitation, transpiration, infiltration, and runoff data, field method assessments and limitations, and relationships between hydrologic changes and water quality impacts.