VANN310 Management and measures for freshwater bodies

The course focuses on the management of freshwater bodies and includes planning of abatement measures for catchments and water bodies. Such planning is a key element of any type of nature management. Students are introduced to current procedures and rules.

The course has two parts:

Part 1 introduces the students to how water managers assess the need for abatement measures to increase water quality. Part 1 also provides an overview of possible measures in the catchment area and internally in water bodies, and describes the methods used to identify the measures that best suit the management challenges in a given water body. All lectures in part 1 are given by people who were or are key premise providers in Norwegian water management, so that the teaching is as close to reality as possible.

Part 2 is a practical part, where students will apply what they have learned in part 1. Students are divided into small groups. Each group will develop a plan for abatement measures for a given water body (stream, river, lake). Students will collect available data (databases on the Internet, reports, meetings with responsible authorities). The data shall be used to assess the need for measures and to select the measures that are best suited for the water body in its current state. The students will also compare their results with existing plans for abatement measures for the specific water body. There will be extensive discussions within and between the groups, so that the students can learn from each other. The results are described in group reports.

The students should gain the following:

Knowledge

The student should have knowledge of action analysis and planning in the modern management of Norwegian water bodies.

Skills

The student should be able to apply methods for collecting relevant data material, as well as use these to identify the need for measures and to select the most relevant measures for a given water body. The student should be able to write academic reports (reports).

General Competence

After completing the course, the student should be familiar with methods and tools used in water management, but also with their challenges and weaknesses. The student will gain insight into how water management works in reality.