First Midterm Exam

The first midterm exam will be on Thursday February 5th, during the regular class time. The exam will include all material up to, and including, Riparian Zones.

1. The exam could contain a variety of formats including essays, short answers, drawing graphs or diagrams, etc.

2. I have listed expected learning outcomes for each of the topics that we have covered. Thus, I would use these learning outcomes to focus your study efforts. I will use the learning outcomes as a guide when I make up the test questions.

3. The tentative date for the second midterm is Tuesday March 3rd. This test will be cumulative, but will focus on material that was not tested on the first exam. This means that you shouldn't forget everything that you have learned as soon as the first exam is over.

4. If you have any questions, then please let me know via email, posting on the blog, stopping by my office, stalking me outside of my house, etc.

Streams

Here are links to the "Water on the Web" slideshows that I used in class.

Streams I. River Structure and Hydrology
http://www.slideshare.net/secret/K7LuPG5UBceIXY

Streams II. Hydrology
http://www.slideshare.net/secret/HxIZfzgWVvw5IP

Streams III. Physical Factors
http://www.slideshare.net/secret/oeZV0P88OHld7A

Further Reading

Stream- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Stream

River- http://www.eoearth.org/article/River

Stream Morphometry- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Stream_morphometry


River Structure and Hydrology

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course a fully engaged students should be able to

- discuss the 4 dimensions of stream systems
- discuss how variation in climate and topography can influence a stream
- calculate the "stream order" of a stream
- diagram the cross section of a stream channel
- discuss the meandering of rivers
- discuss differences in the conditions found on the "inside" and "outside" of a meander
- discuss riffles and pools


Hydrology

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course the fully engaged student should be able to

- discus the relationship between discharge, area, and velocity
- interpret a hydrograph
- define and discuss overland flow
- define and discuss floods
- interpret flood recurrence intervals
- discus how human activity has altered floods
- discuss erosion and the transportation of sediments, particiularly the relationship between velocity and sediment size
- discus patterns of sediment deposition

Physical Factors

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be abl to

- discuss how the current influences distribution, morphology, and behavior of stream organisms
- describe and explain the longitudinal sediment distribution
- describe the effect of sediment on stream organisms
- discus adaptations of stream organisms for obtaining oxygen

Riparian Zones

Suggested Readings

Here is an article on Riparian Zones written by Alicia Freitag, a student from last year's class. http://www.eoearth.org/article/Riparian_zone



Here is a link to some interesting info on Riparian Ecology

Streamside Management Zone- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Streamside_Management_Zone

http://www.oxbowriver.com/Web_Pages/Stream_Ecology_Pages/Ecology_Riparian/Ecology_Riparian.html

Powerpoint Presentation

Here is a link to the Powerpoint slideshow "Riparian Zones"
http://www.slideshare.net/secret/E4e39gebxnMpHD

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

- define a riparian zone
- discuss difference between riparian zones in different ecosystems (e.g, riparian zones in mountains, prairies, arid lands, etc)
- discuss why the ecology of riparian zones is often so much different from that of the surrounding land
- discuss ecosystem services provided by a healthy riparian zone
- compare and contrast features of healthy and disturbed riparian zones
- discuss anthropogenic risks to riparian zones
- discuss the importance of healthy riparian zones to fish and wildife populations

Roadrunners and Rattlesnakes

Here is a link to a video of a roadrunner capturing a rattlesnake. Enjoy!!

http://www.naturefootage.com/video_clips/WW17_028

Adaptations to Desert Environments

Because the Rio Grande River flows through arid regions, most of the organisms that we will see adjacent to the river will be adapted to the desert environment.

Expected Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

- identify and discuss the unique challenges associated with living in arid environments

- discuss adaptations of animals and plants for water uptake and water conservation

- discuss adaptations of animals and plants for dealing with high temperature

Required Reading

Here are some articles from the EoE that will provide some useful information about adaptations to desert habitats

Desert biome http://www.eoearth.org/article/Desert_biome

Adaptations of desert birds and mammals http://www.eoearth.org/article/Adaptations_of_desert_birds_and_mammals

Adaptations of desert amphibians and reptiles http://www.eoearth.org/article/Adaptations_of_desert_amphibians_and_reptiles

Adaptations of desert plants http://www.eoearth.org/article/Adaptations_of_desert_plants

Powerpoint Presentation

Click here to see the powerpoint presentation "Introduction to Desert Flora and Fauna"

http://www.slideshare.net/secret/pw2UrKumkR7KRT

The Physical Environment

Introduction

The physical environment can have a profound influence on ecology at a variety of levels. For example, the physical environment can act as a strong selective presssure to produce adaptations or can influence the rates of nutrient cycling through an ecosystem. For our simple purposes here, the two most important components of the physical environment are temperature and precipitation. I suggest that we can predict a lot about what is going on ecologically in an environment if we know something about temperature and precipitation patterns.

From watching the nightly news we all know how difficult it is for the local weatherperson to accurately predict what the weather is going to be like tomorrow. Fortunately, it is much easier to understand broad patterns of variation in temperature and precipitation.

Temperature



The dominant global temperature pattern is that it tends to get cooler as you move away from the poles. The cause of this is relatively simple. Because the earth is so far from the sun, the light rays hitting the earth are basically paralell to each other. Because of the curvature of the earth, sunlight hitting the earth near the equator falls over a smaller area than sunlight hitting near the poles. Because the same amount of light energy is hitting a smaller area near the equator, the concentration of energy/area is greater near the equator than the pole thus resulting in higher temperatures.

Elevation is another factor that influences global temperatures. Because there is less insulating atmosphere above areas of high elevation temperatures tend to decrease as you go up in elevation.

Large bodies of water can mediate temperature variations. For example, seasonal and daily variation in temperatures are much lower in areas near the ocean (maritime climates) than they are in areas far from the ocean (continental climates).

Global temperature patterns can also be affected by patterns of ocean circulation. For example, the west coast of continents are often cooled by cool water flowing from the poles to the tropics while the east coasts of continents can be warmed by warmer water from the tropics to the poles (e.g., the Gulf Stream). If you have ever been to the beach in southern California you surely noticed how cold the water was; east coast beaches at similar latitudes have much warmer water.

Precipitation

In order to understand global precipitation patterns you need to understand global patterns of atmospheric circulation. Hopefully, after studying the article on atmospheric circulation you will be able to explain-

1. why there tends to be high precipitation in tropical regions and

2. why precipitation tends to be low at 30 degrees North and South of the equator.

Patterns of precipitation can also be influenced by the presence of mountains. As air masses containing moisture hit a mountain they are forced upward. Because rising air cools and cool air







holds less moisture, precipitation occurs on the windward side of mountains. Once the air mass has passed over the mountain in falls to lower elevations and gets warmer. Because most of the moisture has been lost as precipitation on the windward side of the mountain and the warmer air holds more moisture there is very little precipitation on the leward side of the mountain resulting in a "rainshadow desert".

Let's think about Lubbock!

Let's see if we can use our newfound understanding of some of the factors influencing temperature and precipitation to make predictions about what the climate should be like in Lubbock. What information do we need about the geographic location of Lubbock to help us understand the climate? First, we need to know the latitude; Lubbock is located approximately 33 degrees north. Second we need to know something about the proximity to the ocean. As an old beach boy, I can guarantee you that we are a long, long way from the ocean in Lubbock. Third, where is Lubbock in relation to mountains? Lubbock is located to the east of the southern extension of the Rockies.

Why is all of this important?

1. What can we learn from the latitude of 33 degrees North? This latitude is still close enough to the equator to be warm so we expect relatively high temperatures. Because Lubbock lies near the 30 degree zone of low precipitation we would predict relatively low precipitation. At 30 degrees North we would predict that Lubbock would receive predominately winds from the west.

2. From the continental location of Lubbock we would predict fairly extreme daily and seasonal fluctuations of temperatures.

3. Because Lubbock lies in the Westerlies most of the precipitation that is arriving in Lubbock comes from the Pacific Ocean. Because these winds have passed over the Rockies we would predict that Lubbock would lie in a rainshadow, again causing low precipitation.

How did we do. If anyone has ever been in Lubbock (especially in the spring time) you would know that the wind almost always blows in from the west. Temperatures are relatively warm but there is fairly large seasonal and daily variations in temperature. Lubbock has a semi-arid climate and receives on average about 18 inches of precipitation per year. Thus, with just a little bit of knowlege about the factors that influence global patterns of temperature and precipitation we were able to fairly accurately the climate in Lubbock. Thus, I would expect that organisms native to Lubbock should be well adapted to the low precipitation, continental climate of the region (the short grass prairie was the dominant vegetation type presettlement).

See use these patterns to understand climate in your town (note climate patterns in Texas are complicated in central and eastern Texas becasue of the influence of air masses coming up from the Gulf). Compare the temperature and precipitation of your town with that if very divergent locations around the globe.


Further Reading

If you would like some more detailed information about factors affecting climate and the atmosphere you can check out the Atmosphere Chapter in Michael Pidwirny's online Physical Geography textbook http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/contents.html.

Powerpoint Presentation

Click here to see the powerpoint presentation "Factors Influencing the Physical Environment".
http://www.slideshare.net/secret/EaVq4nm5KuSsBI

Expected Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

- describe global patterns of variation in temperature and precipitation and be able to explain the causes of these patterns

- describe the physical environment of the Rio Grande drainage and explain the causes of these conditions

Rio Grande River

The Rio Grande River is the star of this class. Here are some additional sources of information that you might find useful.

1. Here is a copy of an article written by one of last year's students INiklas Green) that is currently under review for publication by the EoE.


Draft:Rio Grande River, United States
Table of Contents [hide]
1 Introduction
2 History
3 Facts and figures
4 Agriculture
5 Major Cities
6 Dams
7 Issues
7.1 Endangered species
7.2 International boundary
7.3 Invasive species
8 Recreation
9 Further Reading

Topic Editor: Langdon D. Clough (other articles)
Lead Author: Niclas Green (other articles)
Contributing Author: Mark McGinley (other articles)
Content Partner: none listed
Content Source: none listed
Copyeditor: none listed
Article Topics: Ecology, Water and Geography
Last Updated: December 15, 2008

This article was researched and written by a student at Texas Tech University participating in the Encyclopedia of Earth's (EoE) Student Science Communication Project. The project encourages students in undergraduate and graduate programs to write about timely scientific issues under close faculty guidance. All articles have been reviewed by internal EoE editors, and by independent experts on each topic.

Introduction

The Rio Grande River flows from its headwaters in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico near Brownsville, Texas. Also known as the Rio Bravo in Mexico, the river forms a natural boundary between the United States and Mexico. Because the river flows primarily through arid regions, the water in the Rio Grande River is important for human consumption, agriculture, and as a water source for wildlife. In addition, dams along the river provide for hydroelectric power and recreation.

History

Rio Grande River Basin. (Source: World Wildlife Fund)
The Rio Grande has been used as a water source for a number of Native America tribes along its length. Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (1535 or 1536) and Francisco Vázquez de Coronado (1540) are two of the first Europeans to experience and explore the river. The river was not well mapped until it became the international boundary between the United States and Mexico following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848.

Facts and figures

The Rio Grande begins as a clear spring and snow-fed mountain stream 12,000 feet above sea level in the Rio Grande National Forest, San Juan County, Colorado. It originates at the Continental Divide in the San Juan Mountains and cuts through the middle of New Mexico to El Paso, Texas. At that point, the river begins as the international boundary, and it forms the western or southern border of the Texas counties of El Paso, Hudspeth, Presidio, Brewster, Terrell, Val Verde, Kenney, Maverick, Webb, Zapata, Starr, Hidalgo, and Cameron. The river’s length from its headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico varies as its course changes, but in the late 1980s the International Boundary and Water Commission stated the total length to be 1,896 miles. The official border length is in the range of 889 to 1,248 miles depending on how it is measured.

Depending on how it is measured, the Rio Grande is the twenty-second longest river in the world and the fourth or fifth longest in North America. It drains more than 40,000 square miles in Texas alone. The river’s main tributaries are the Pecos River, the Devil's River, the Chama River, and Puerco Rivers in the United States, and the Rio Conchos, Rio Salado, and Rio San Juan in Mexico. The Rio Grande, however, is in a sense two streams. At Presidio, the river dwindles to nearly nothing, and only water from Rio Conchos continues the journey down to the Gulf.

Contrary to its name, the Rio Grande is not large enough to be navigable at all by oceangoing ships or smaller craft. It is barely navigable at all and is limited to canoes, rafts, and in some areas personal watercraft. The river’s natural flow is only 1/20 the volume of the Colorado River and less than 1/100 that of the Mississippi River.

Agriculture

Agriculture and cattle raising are the leading industries around the Rio Grande, and the crops grown vary along the river. In Colorado and northern New Mexico the major crops are potatoes and alfalfa whereas major crops in southern New Mexico and West Texas include cotton, peppers, onions, and pecans. Farmers in the lower Rio Grande Valley raise citrus fruits, vegetables and cotton. The river, aided by dams, is used to irrigate many of these crops. Sixty thousand acre-feet of irrigation water is annually promised to Mexican farmers in the Juarez area, although this number is proportionally decreased during times of low snow melt-off in Colorado.

Major Cities

Rio Grande River flowing though El Paso. (Source: University of Texas, El Paso)
The major cities and towns alongside the Rio Grande are Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Socorro, Truth or Consequences, Mesilla, and Las Cruces in New Mexico; and El Paso, Presidio, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Laredo, Rio Grande City, McAllen, and Brownsville in Texas. On the Mexican side the primary towns and cities are Ciudad Juarez, Ojinaga, Ciudad Acuna, Piedras Negras, Nuevo Laredo, Camargo, Reynosa, and Matamoros. These are located in the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas. Ciudad Juarez, in 1980, was the largest city on the Rio Grande, and El Paso was the second largest city on the border. Together, the two cities would constitute one of the world’s major metropolitan areas if the Rio Grande did not divide them.

Dams

Today, dams along the Rio Grande are used for irrigation, flood control, and regulation of the river flow. Elephant Butte Dam, completed in 1916, and Caballo Dam, completed in 1938, in New Mexico create reservoirs that serve large areas. These were built to provide a steady supply of irrigation water on demand. Downstream about 12 miles northwest of Del Rio, Texas, the Amistad Dam, completed in 1969, is 6 miles long and impounds a huge reservoir. Further on just below Laredo, Falcon Dam, completed in 1954, creates another large reservoir.

Issues

Endangered species
The Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus) historically occupied approximately 2,400 river miles in New Mexico and Texas. In 1994, the silvery minnow were classified as endangered in the U.S. by the standards set forth in the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The species used to be found in the Rio Grande from Espanola, New Mexico, down through Texas to the Gulf of Mexico. Currently, the silvery minnow is believed to live only in one reach of the river in New Mexico, a 174-mile stretch that runs from Cochiti Dam to the Elephant Butte Reservoir. This current habitat is about 7% of its former range.

International boundary
Using a river as a natural international border is helpful since the boundary is easily distinguished, but it has its faults as well. A meandering river such as the Rio Grande is constantly changing, eroding away one bank and depositing on the other. Long brushy curves shaped like horseshoes or oxbows frequently overflow and form new channels. This movement complicates defining the exact international border. Sections along the Rio Grande have been straightened to help prevent the erosion and deposition of sediments. One in particular is the canalization of the river section separating El Paso from Juarez. Today, the border runs down the middle of the deepest portion of the river.

Invasive species
Invasive species of plants along the banks of the Rio Grande are also becoming an environmental issue. Plants such as tamarisk (Tamarix sp.) and giant cane (Arundinaria gigantea) are outcompeting native species and replacing them along the banks of the river, thus greatly altering the riparian zone. These plants extend their roots into the water supply and are accredited increasing the amount the water loss from the river.

Recreation

In a remote stretch in west Texas, the Rio Grande makes a curve to the northeast to form the “big bend.” It is here that outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy themselves in the Big Bend National Park. A 191.2 mile section of the river on the American bank is designated as the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River. It begins in Big Bend National Park and runs down to the Terrell-Val Verde county line. The designation of a Wild and Scenic River is only given to 2% of all the rivers in the United States for being free flowing and pristine.


Recreation along the Rio Grande. (Photo by Alicia Freitag)
The Big Bend area is administered by the U.S. National Park Service, though there are no federal facilities. The area had 525 daily visits and 4,329 overnight stays in 1990. The Wild and Scenic River is divided into 3 sections commonly used for canoing:

Mariscal Canyon – A 10 mile, one day trip beginning at Talley and ending at Solis Landing. The canyon itself is six miles long with walls exceeding 1,400 feet.

Boquillas Canyon – A 33 mile, two to three day trip beginning at Rio Grande Village and ending at Heath Canyon, Texas (downstream from La Linda, Mexico). Boquillas Canyon is the longest canyon trip in Big Bend National Park, and its wall rise 1,200 feet.

The Lower Canyons – A five to ten day trip beginning at Heath Canyon and ending at either Dryden Crossing (83 miles) or Foster’s Ranch (119 miles), which is at the end of the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River.

Further Reading

Texas State Historical Association. The Handbook of Texas Online: Rio Grande.

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Rio Grande River (TX): an American Heritage Designated River.
U.S. National Park Service. Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River.
Wildernet. Colorado Rivers and Streams: Rio Grande River.


Citation
Green, Niclas (Lead Author); Mark McGinley (Contributing Author); Langdon D. Clough (Topic Editor). 2009. "Rio Grande River, United States." In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [Published in the Encyclopedia of Earth January 7, 2009; Retrieved January 7, 2009].

2. Here is a link to an article on the Rio Grande River in the Handbook of Texas Online - http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/RR/rnr5.html

3. There is a youtube video entitled - Rio Grande- Natural History
It is a little bit hokey (I didn't know that you could make a video by simply lecturing over your powerpoint slides with Native American music in the background- I wish I had one of those cool "announcer voices"). It does have good information about the path of the river so you should take a look. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to figure out how to let you view the video online. thus, to find it Google "Rio Grande River" and click on "Videos" and look for the video entitled Rio Grande - Natural History.

Powerpoint Presentation

Click here for the powerpoint presentation "Rio Grande Ecology"
http://www.slideshare.net/secret/GYWqR01gC9z2G6

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course the fully engaged student should be able to
- locate the Rio Grande River on a map
- roughly draw the location of the Rio Grande drainage basin on a map
- list some tributaries of the Rio Grande in Mexico and the USA
- identify the source of the Rio Grande
- discuss the variety of ecosystems that the Rio Grande flows through
- explain why the Rio Grande River primarily flows through arid regions

Introduction to Rivers and the Hydrologic Cycle

Uses of Rivers by Humans



Rivers have provided important services to humans for thousands of years.



Expected Learning Outcomes-



By the end of the course a fully engaged student should be able to

- compare and contrast uses of rivers by pre-industrial and industrial societies.



Water and the Hydrologic Cycle



The chemical structure of water causes it to have unique chemical properties. The polar nature of water causes water molecules to bond to one another via hydrogen bonds. Thus, water is "sticky" (that's one of the reasons that some insects can walk on water). Water is unique in that it can be found in the gas, liquid, and solid forms at temperatures that are commonly experienced on earth. Water is constantly moving from one form to another as part of the hydrologic cycle. Rivers are an important component of the hydrologic cycle and they are an important source of fresh water for use by animals and humans.

Suggested Readings

Here are some articles from the Encyclopedia of the Earth that might be useful.

Hydrologic Cycle - http://www.eoearth.org/article/Hydrologic_cycle

Physical Properties of Water - http://www.eoearth.org/article/Physical_properties_of_water

River - http://www.eoearth.org/article/River

Water - http://www.eoearth.org/article/AP_Environmental_Science_Chapter_9-_Water

Powerpoint Presentation

Click here for the powerpoint presentation "The Rio Grande River"

http://www.slideshare.net/secret/pxAJ6acjhvdnma

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course a fully engaged student should be able to

- diagram the chemical structure of water

- define a hydrogen bond and discuss why hydogen bonds form in water

- diagram the hydrologic cycle

- list the major reservoirs of water in the hydrologiic cycle

- list the major reservoirs of fresh water in the hydrologic cycle

- discuss how humans have attempted to alter the hydrologic cycle in order to provide more useable freshwater

- describe the movement of a molecule of water in the hydrologic cycle from the atmosphere back to the atmosphere

Course Syllabus

Advanced Fieldcraft Spring 2009
The Rio Grande NHH 3350-H01
T-Th 9:30 - 11 AD 248

Course Syllabus
Wild rivers are earth's renegades, defying gravity, dancing to their own tunes, resisting the authority of humans, always chipping away, and eventually always winning. Richard Bangs, River Gods

The River," corrected the Rat. "It's my world, and I don't want any other. What it hasn't got is not worth having, and what it doesn't know is not worth knowing. Lord! the times we've had together!Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

A river is more than an amenity…. It is a treasure. It offers a necessity of life that must be rationed among those who have power over it. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841-1935), U.S. Supreme Court justice, New Jersey v. New York, 4 May 1931

If you saw what the river carried, you would never drink the water. Jamaican proverb

Filthy water cannot be washed. African Proverb, West African

We cannot make rivers whole unless we wholly understand them. Rob Brown, Wheeler School, Providence, R. I.

Course Outline
Students will learn how to research the literature, culture, and ecology of a region in preparation for immersion in a field experience, which will result in a final portfolio-style project. This course focuses on the ecology, history, culture, and environmental issues along the Rio Grande River. This course includes a mandatory week-long canoe trip along the Rio Grande in Big Bend during spring break. Students will write articles that can potentially be submitted to the Encyclopedia of the Earth.

Instructor
Dr. Mark McGinley
Room 215 McClelland Hall
mark.mcginley@ttu.edu

Office Hours:
MWF- 11-12 or by Appointment

I encourage you to make an appointment to meet with me if you need to see me. The easiest ways to do this are (1) to talk to me either before or after class or (2) to send me an email listing times when you are available to meet with me and then I will let you know which works best for me.

Expected Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, a fully-engaged student will be able to:
1. “Think critically” about environmental issues associated with the Rio Grande River . ASSESSED BY: performance in class discussions, exams, and written assignments.

2. Discuss environmental issues in a scientific associated with the Rio Grande River in a political and social context. ASSESSED BY: performance on in class discussions, exam, and written assignments.

3. Discuss how the physical conditions of the Rio Grande River and surrounding environment have affected the ecology and organismal diversity of the region. ASSESSED BY: performance on in class discussions and exams

4. Discuss how the physical conditions of the Rio Grande River and surrounding environment have affected the history and culture of the region. ASSESSED BY: performance on in class discussion and exams.

5. Communicate effectively to the general public about ecological and environmental issues. ASSESSED BY: performance on written assignment.

6. Be able to work comfortably in an outdoor environment. ASSESSED BY: performance on field trip.


Grading
Midterm Exams (in class) 20%
Take Home Exam 20%
Class participation (in class and in the field) 15%
Lesson presented during field trip 15%
Written Assignment 30%

It will be extremely important that all assignments be turned in on time!!!

Midterm Exam
The written midterm exam will cover material discussed in lectures and prior discussions.

Encyclopedia of the Earth
The Encyclopedia of Earth, a new electronic reference about the Earth, its natural environments, and their interaction with society. The Encyclopedia is a free, fully searchable collection of articles written by scholars, professionals, educators, and experts who collaborate and review each other's work. The articles are written in non-technical language and will be useful to students, educators, scholars, professionals, as well as to the general public.

There is the opportunity for you to write articles as part of this class that can be submitted for publication by the EoE. Thus, in this course you have a chance to really do some cool shit. Student-written articles that receive an “A” grade will be submitted to the EoE for publication.
Tentative Course Schedule

Week 1 (Jan 8)
Thursday- Introduction to Rivers

Week 2. (Jan 13 & 15)
Tuesday- Rio Grande River
Thursday- Climate Patterns and Hydrologic Cycle

Week 3. (Jan 20 & 22)
Tuesday- Rio Grande Ecology
Thursday- Desert Flora and Fauna

Week 4. (Jan 27 & 29)
Tuesday- Riparian Ecology
Thursday- Riparian Ecology

Week 5. (Feb 3 & 5)
Tuesday- Stream Ecology
Thursday- Stream Ecology

Week 6. (Feb 10 & 12)
Tuesday- Disturbance Ecology
Thursday- Introduced Species

Week 7. (Feb 17 & 19)
Tuesday- Tamarix
Thursday- Endangered Species

Week 8. (Feb 24 & 26)
Tuesday- Border Issues
Thursday- Midterm Exam

Week 9. (March 3 & 5)
Tuesday- Water Allocation Issues
Thursday- Water Allocation Issues

Week 10. (March 10 & 12)
Tuesday- Environmental issues
Thursday- Prep for Trip.

Spring Break March 13 – 20 – Rio Grande Trip

Week 11. (March 26)
Thursday- EoE

Week 12. (March 31 & April 2)
History & projects

Week 13. (April 7 & 9)
Projects- Take Home Exam Due

Week 14. (April 14 & 16)
Projects

Week 15. (April 21 & 23)
EoE

Week 16. (April 28)
Tuesday- Grand Finale- Presentations of Project


Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangement to meet course requirements should contact the instructors as soon as possible to make the necessary accommodations. Students should present appropriate verification from Disabled Student Services, Dean of Student’s Office. No requirement exists that accommodation be made prior to this approved University process.

A student who is absent from classes for the observation of a religious holy day shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonable time after the absence if, not later than the fifteenth day after the first day of the semester, the student has notified the instructor of each scheduled class that the student would be absent for a religious holy day.

Texas Tech University faculty strive to foster a spirit of complete honesty and high standards of integrity. Any attempt by students to present as their own work any work not honestly performed is regarded by faculty and administration as a most serious offence and renders offenders liable to serious consequences, possibly suspension from the university. “Scholastic dishonesty” includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, falsifying academic records, misrepresenting facts, and any act designed to give an unfair academic advantage to a student. A detailed list of offenses is available in the Code of Student Conduct, found in Part IX, pp. 20-21 in the current Student Handbook, available on line at:
http://www.studentaffairs.ttu.edu?publications/SA_handbook_2005-2006.pdf.