Water Quality of Rivers, Lakes, and Estuaries - 575.749

Sustainably managing aquatic environments for ecosystem restoration/maintenance and protection of public health in a changing climate requires us to understand the combined effect of multiple physical, chemical, and biological stressors and processes. This class will equip students to apply their understanding of environmental engineering principles to real-world water quality issues using computer simulation models. Emphasis will be placed on gaining insight by understanding fundamental principles, assumptions, equations and methods used to develop water quality models. Physical, chemical and biological processes related to the classical water pollution problem of oxygen demand will be covered. Students will use a public domain model widely used in industry to develop a real-world case study application as a Course Project. Through the project the students will get experience assessing the impact of wastewater discharges of organic matter and nutrients on dissolved oxygen and to evaluate TMDL compliance. Selected advanced topics including eutrophication and toxic chemicals may also be introduced. Prerequisite(s):?Environmental Engineering Principles and Applications (EN.570.303 or equivalent) Area: Engineering, Natural Sciences. Undergraduate or Graduate level course(s) in Differential Equations.