Water resources

Faculty: R Bell, M Bozek, B Browne, K Clancy, R Crunkilton, W DeVita, W Halverson, M Hansen,
C Hartleb, G Kraft, W LeGrande, K Masarik, P McGinley, D Mechenich, D Ozsvath, B Sloss,
E. Stern, S Szczytko, N Turyk.

Academic Standards
To graduate with a major or minor in fisheries and water resources you must have a 2.00 minimum cumulative grade point average.

Fisheries and Water Resources
The fisheries and water resources major prepares you for a career or graduate study in fishery science or management, aquatic biology, hydrology, hydrogeology (groundwater), laboratory analysis of water and environmental samples, aquatic toxicology, and the assessment and management of water resources. You must select one of three options below: fisheries, 132 credits; watershed management, 128 credits; or water resources, 121 credits.

Fisheries Option of the Fisheries and Water Resources Major
The fisheries option prepares you for employment in consulting firms or state, tribal or federal resource management agencies where you would be involved in manipulating fishery resources through regulating human use, managing aquatic habitat, and stocking. With a BS degree in fisheries you will likely begin your professional employment as a limited term employee. An MS degree will greatly increase employment potential and job responsibilities in fisheries. If you complete the requirements for the fisheries option with a grade of C or better in all required courses, you will have completed the minimum course requirements for certification by the American Fisheries Society as a certified fisheries professional. For more information about certification see www.fisheries.org/html/Certification/shtml.

1. Fisheries and aquatic sciences, 27 credits: NRES 250; Biology 374, 375; Water 353, 354, 387, 481, 483, 484.

3. Physical sciences, 24 credits: NRES 251; Chemistry 105, 106, 221; Physics 201, 202.

6. Water resources electives, 12 credits: Any water resources courses not already specified above.

Watershed Management Option of the Fisheries and Water Resources Major
The watershed management option prepares you for a career or graduate study in land conservation, water resources management, and hydrology. Watershed management graduates frequently gain employment with environmental consulting firms and state, federal, tribal, and local resource management agencies and are involved in land planning, resource protection, and civil works.

1. Watershed management, 20-21 credits: Water 382, 389, 480 or 487, 481, 493; Geography 279; NRES 377.

7. Water resources electives, 9 credits: Select from Water 383, 420, 482, 480 or 487 (whichever is not taken above).

Water Resources Option of the Fisheries and Water Resources Major
In the water resources option you develop a flexible program of courses with your advisor to prepare you for one or more career paths. You can emphasize the physical, chemical or biological aspects of water resource management or combinations thereof. The breadth of electives allows you to complete a minor in such areas as chemistry, soil science, geographic information systems and spatial analysis, or land use planning that will enhance and focus your career opportunities. Graduates are normally employed by environmental consulting firms, or by county, state, tribal or federal resource management agencies that are involved in protecting and managing the quality and quantity of water resources.

2. Natural resources, 22 credits: NRES 150, 151, 250, 251, 372, 490; Philosophy 380.

7. Science electives, 15 credits: Select from Math 121, Physics 101, 201, 202; any biology, chemistry, geology or soils courses that are not taken to satisfy other requirements.

8. Water electives, 15 credits: Select from any water courses numbered 300 or above that are not taken to satisfy other requirements.

A. Summer camp, 7 credits: Forestry 319, 320; NRES 405; Soils 359, 360; Wildlife 340; Water 380.

3. Select 3 credits from Biology 305, 333, 338, 347, 375, NRES 377, 474, 477, Waste Mngt 380.

WATR 220(NW). Global Climate Change and Water Resources, 10th Century to Present. 3 cr. Effects of global warming on world water resources. Climate change in the past millennium. Case studies including Africa, India, North and South America, China and Japan. How availability of water has shaped culture, agriculture, and diet. How past and present stressors to available water have been dealt with in different regions. May not earn credit in both WATR 220 and NRES 220. (I, II) GDR:EL

WATR 324. Invasive and Exotic Species. 3 cr. Biotic and abiotic factors influencing invasions of native and exotic species including social, political and economic concerns. May not earn credit in both WATR 324 and NRES 324. (II) GDR:EL

WATR 338/538. Phycology. 4 cr. Taxonomy, morphology, and ecology of algae especially local species. Field collections, small group experiments, lab analysis of field and cultured samples, and discussion of current algal research literature. 3 hrs lec, 3 hrs lab per wk. Prereq: Biology 130, CNR or biology major or written cons instr. (Also offered as Biology 338/538.) (I)

WATR 350. Current Issues in Water Resources. 1-3 cr. Technological, social, economic aspects of current water resource issues. Subtitle will designate topic. May repeat for credit under different subtitles. (I, II)

WATR 353/553. Wildlife and Fish Population. 3 cr. Mathematical, ecological, physiological, and behavioral characteristics of fish and wildlife population fluctuations. Use of models for characterizing fluctuations, and techniques for sampling, monitoring, and modeling survival, growth, reproduction, and population size. May not earn credit in both WATR 353 and Wildlife 353. Prereq: NRES 250; Biology 160 and 305; Math 111 and 355. (I, II)

WATR 354/554. Wildlife and Fish Populations Dynamics Methods. 1 cr. Demonstrate methods for modeling and dynamics of fish and wildlife populations, including abundance, survival, growth, and reproduction (recruitment). May not earn credit in both WATR 354 and Wildlife 354. Prereq: NRES 250; Biology 160 and 305; Math 111 and 355. (I, II)

WATR 366/566. Wetland Soils. 1 cr. Characteristics of hydric soils including chemistry, morphology, genesis and classification; hydrology of wetlands; field observation and application of federal and regional guidelines to identify hydric soils. Prereq: NRES 251. May not earn credit in both WATR 366/566 and SOIL 366/566. (I)

WATR 367/567. Wetland Delineation. 1 cr. Review procedures required for identifying and delineating wetlands for permit review. Prereq: NRES 251. May not earn credit in both WATR 367/567 and SOIL 367/567. (II)

WATR 380. Field Experience in Aquatic Ecosystem Evaluation. 1 cr. Fishery, limnological, and hydrological evaluation; lake and stream inventory and evaluation for integrated resource mngt. Prereq: NRES 250, 251; 2.00 GPA in major, CNR or biology major or written cons
instr. (SS)

WATR 381/581. Internship in Water. 1-12 cr. Supervised training program in watershed management, fisheries, or water quality, in cooperation with private or public resource agencies. 1 cr for 2-4 wks (40 hrs per wk) of work. Credits and/or addl requirements set before registration. May repeat once for 12 cr max. Prereq: Forestry 319, 320, Wildlife 340, Soils 359, 360, Water 380; or NRES 475; 2.00 GPA in major; and/or cons intern director; CNR or biology major or written cons instr. (I, II, SS)

WATR 382/582. Water Quality Management. 3 cr. Structure and purpose of U.S. water quality regulations and implementation of associated water quality control systems. Prereq: CNR or biology major or written cons instr.(I)

WATR 383/583. Hydrogeology. 3 cr. Occurrence and movement of groundwater in the geologic environment; response of aquifers to pumping wells; groundwater resource exploration, and management. 2 hrs lec, 2 hrs lab per wk. May not earn credit in both Water 383 and Geology 383. Prereq: Geology 101 or 104, NRES 250, 251, Math 120, CNR or biology major or written cons instr. (I)

WATR 386/586. Aquaculture/Fish Culture. 3 cr. Introduction to the culture of finfish, methods of production, environmental and ecological considerations, selective breeding, nutrition, diseases, processing and marketing. 2 hrs lec, 2 hrs lab per wk. Prereq: Biology 101 or 160, 210.

WATR 387/587. Aquatic Insects. 3 cr. Life histories, ecology, behavior, taxonomy and identification of lotic and lentic aquatic insects. Field collections of aquatic insects and discussions of habitat preferences and water quality influences. 2 hr lec, 2 hrs lab per wk. Prereq: Biology 160, CNR or biology major or written cons instr. (I)

WATR 389/589. Hydrology. 3 cr. Physical basis of surface and subsurface water occurrence and flow; measurement, analysis, and prediction of hydrologic phenomena. 2 hrs lec, 2 hrs lab per wk. Prereq: NRES 250, 251; basic statistics course, CNR or biology major or written cons instr. (I, II)

WATR 420/620. Stream Hydrology, Habitat, and Restoration. 3 cr. Assessment, management and restoration of natural stream channels; channel hydrology, habitat assessment, and restoration methods. Field and analytical skills. 2 hrs lec, 2 hrs lab per wk.

WATR 450/650. Hydrologic Modeling for Planning and Design. 1 cr. Introduction to operation and requirements of surface water models used in hydrologic design and planning. Prereq: 389 or con reg; admis to CNR, cons instr.

WATR 451/651. Agricultural Hydrologic Planning and Design. 1 cr. Use of standard surface water flow and water quality models in agricultural land use planning. Prereq: 389 or con reg, admis to CNR, cons instr.

WATR 452/652. Urban Hydrologic Planning and Design. 1 cr. Use of standard urban hydrologic modeling tools for urban and suburban land use planning. Prereq: 389 or con reg, admis to CNR, cons instr.

WATR 454/654. Design of Constructed Wetlands. 1 cr. Design and construction of wetland areas for water quality control. Prereq: 389 or con reg, admis to CNR, cons instr.

WATR 480/680. Water Chemistry and Analysis. 4 cr. Measure and interpret chemical characteristics of water resources in human-dominated landscapes. 2 hrs lec, 4 hrs lab per wk. Prereq: Chemistry 106 or 116, capability with spreadsheets (CIS 102 or equiv), CNR or biology major. (I, II)

WATR 481/681. Limnology. 3 cr. Physical, chemical, and biological phenomena of freshwater communities. Prereq: Biology 305, CNR or biology major or written cons instr. (I, II)

WATR 482/682. Biological Assessment of Water Quality. 3 cr. Assessment and effects of physical and chemical pollution in the aquatic environment. Laboratory assays and field assessments and their interpretation using bacteria, invertebrates, aquatic plants and fish. 2 hrs lec, 2 hrs lab per wk. (I)

WATR 483/683. Fisheries Research. 3 cr. Introduction to field and laboratory fishery research. Principles of designing research projects, testing hypotheses, sampling fish, analyzing fishery data, reporting results in both written and oral forms, and defending research.
Prereq: 481; Biology 374; Summer Camp; CNR or biology major or written cons instr. (I)

WATR 484/684. Fisheries Management. 3 cr. Principles used in the assessment and management of aquatic habitats, fish populations, and human users, as they influence production of fish in inland waters. Prereq: 481; Biology 374; Summer Camp; CNR or biology major or written cons instr. (II)

WATR 487/687. Groundwater Geochemistry. 3 cr. Factors and processes controlling the chemistry of subsurface waters including mineral solubility, complexation, redox reactions, ion exchange, and absorption; also hydrochemical behavior of contaminants. 3 hrs lec per wk. May not earn credit in both Water 487 and Geology 487. Prereq: Chemistry 106 or 116; Geology 101 or 104; NRES 250, 251; CNR or biology major or written cons instr. (II)

WATR 492/692. Advanced Techniques of Environmental Analysis.
3 cr. Theory and application of instrumental methods used in monitoring environmental samples for organic and inorganic compounds; laboratory quality control, sample preparation, data handling; gas and liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, atomic absorption and inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy, autoanalyzer use. 1 hr lec, 4 hrs lab per wk. Prereq: Chemistry 248, Water 480 or Soils 364, CNR/biology major or written cons instr. (II)

WATR 493/693. Watershed Management. 3 cr. Detailed study using GIS of the effect of land use on water quality, yield, and timing; land management practices as water resource mgmt tools. Prereq/coreq: 389 or written cons instr. (Geog 279, 476 or 479 suggested). (II)

WATR 494/694. Environmental Toxicology and Risk Assessment.
3 cr. Introduction to effects of environmental contaminants on aquatic and terrestrial organisms including humans. Impacts of contaminants on fisheries and rationale for health advisories. Survey of contemporary literature. 2 hrs lec, 2 hrs lab/disc per wk. (II odd yrs)

WATR 496/696. Environmental Toxicology. 2 cr. Concepts and laboratory assays for measuring biological effects of contaminants in living organisms including examples of typical data and their interpretation. (II even yrs)

WATR 499. Special Work. 1-3 cr. Upperclass water resources students may arrange for independent

study with cons assoc dean. Credit based on scope of project. Prereq: CNR/biology maj or written cons instr. (I, II)

WATR 733. Fish Habitat Analysis, Design and Modeling. 3 cr. Analytical techniques used to analyze, design, and model habitat in lake and stream environments. Prereq: 481, 484; Math 355, 455/655; or cons instr.

WATR 750. Water Resources in Society. 1-3 cr. Examination and explanation of use and management of water resources. Prereq: Certified elementary/secondary teachers only.

WATR 755. Multivariate Statistics in Fish and Wildlife Research.
3 cr. Quantitative application and interpretation of multivariate statistics in managing complex ecological phenomena in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Prereq: Math 355, 455/655, or cons instr.

WATR 767. Paleolimnology. 3 cr. Summer field course studying the limnology and ecology of ancient lakes using current paleontological and analytical techniques. Prereq: Cons instr.

WATR 784. Advanced Studies in Fish Management. 3 cr. Advanced techniques of fishery data analysis, with practical uses of mathematical and statistical methods in fishery science and management.

Water Latent Courses: Not offered recently. See full course description in indicated (xx-xx) catalog.