Quantitative Water Management

Course goals

• present an overview of quantitative regional and local water management issues, with focus on drainage (Dutch topic) and design and management of reservoirs (international topic);
• perform calculations that promote understanding c.q. proper application of current theory and practice in the above mentioned fields;
• appreciate different visions and occasional conflicts between the theory and practice of regional and local water management;
• reflect on current and future developments in quantitative water management in the context of global change.

Content

• Groundwater drainage: Donnan, Hooghoudt and beyond.
• Groundwater drainage practice in The Netherlands: agricultural vs. urban areas.
• Urban stormwater drainage and the urban water assignment: pluvial flooding and sewer management, flooding from regional surface waters, and governance issues.
• Side effects of drainage: downstream flooding, land subsidence, salinization and operational water resources management, ecohydrological drought, and foundation damage.
• Reservoir management and irrigation: basics of irrigation scheduling, hydrological change and sustainable reservoir planning and management.