The course is concerned with water resources and water systems analysis and management. The
course deals mainly with water supply systems, hydropower & reservoirs management.
Loucks, D.P. and van Beek, E. (2005).Water Resources Systems Planning and Management.UNESCO. Paris.
Federici G., 2011: Acqua ed energia: sinergie e conflitti. Accademia dei Lincei. Roma.
UNESCO, 2009: World Water Assessment Programme. The United Nations World Water Development
Report 3: Water in a Changing World, Paris, UNESCO and London.
WEB Sites ( United Nations, UNESCO, Unione Europea, Autorità di Distretto Idrografico, Autorità di
Ambito, Gestori dei servizi idrici etc).
Learning Objectives
The general objective of the course is to provide expertise in the analysis and management of water systems and the design of structural and non-structural measures for water supply and hydropower production. In particular, knowledge is provided on the identification of the components of a water system (needs, conventional resource, resource reuse, climate) and on resource management strategies (reservoirs and drought monitoring). It also provides expertise in statistical analysis of drought data and decision theory applied to water resource management.
Learning objectives achieved by the student at the end of the course:
Knowledge
- Knowledge of performance indicators and benchmarking of water systems from supranational to local scale
- Knowledge of the main European and Italian regulatory instruments for the protection of water resources
- Knowledge of the main types of plants for the production of hydroelectric power
- Knowledge of drought monitoring methods with ground and satellite measurements and statistical analysis tools of historical series
- Knowledge of optimization methods and decision analysis applied to water resource management
Capacities acquired
- Ability to identify critical issues in the use of water resources, technological solutions appropriate to their resolution and comparison between possible alternative solutions through decision analysis
- Ability to design run-of-river water systems for the production of hydroelectric power and reservoirs for water supply taking into account environmental constraints and needs
- Ability to analyse and monitor drought based on the calculation of standardised precipitation indices.
Autonomy of judgement
- Identify and define indicators and descriptors to evaluate data and results in a critical manner
- ability to identify possible and potential connections between the various aspects of a topic and/or problem.
Communication skills
- to present and articulate in written and oral form an elaboration (also through slides)
- to present in a clear and appropriate language the information learnt during the course.
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of hydrological and hydraulic processes is desirable
Teaching Methods
Lectures, classroom exercises for the application of theoretical knowledge, seminars conducted by experts and technical visits
Type of Assessment
The examination consists of passing a practical test and an oral test.
The final grade is the weighted average of the grade achieved in the practical test (weight 50%) and the grade achieved in the oral test (weight 50%). Then final grade = practical test grade x 0.5 + oral test grade x 0.5.
The practical test consists of written report in which the student delves into one or more of the topics covered in the course.
The oral test covers the entire program and is divided into two parts. The first part of the oral test is held with a presentation of the written report using slides (in limited number for a duration of about 10-15 minutes) and its subsequent discussion. The second part of the oral test consists of a series of questions about the course programme.
If you do not pass the oral test, you can keep the grade of the practical test (if sufficient) for any further examination.
Those who wish to take part in the oral tests must always register (and possibly cancel) through the "Exam Reservation" service of the University.
The examination aims to verify through the discussion of the paper and the theoretical questions:
- knowledge and ability to understand the topics covered in the course programme
- ability to apply knowledge and understanding in the design process
- autonomy of judgement in critically assessing the choices made in the paper
- communicative skills in presenting through slides the main contents of one's own work (context, purpose of the work, methodology, limits and possible developments)
Course program
1.Understanding the global resource and water crisis: pressures, drivers, transboundary basin conflicts and climate change and geopolitical scenarios
2. Water system performance indicators (Falkenmark index, WPI, HDI, Water footprint and virtual water, EPI) and the Water-Food-Energy-Climate Nexus
3. The European Water Directive and the Italian legislation for the protection of water resources. The integrated water service and the ATOs
4. Hydropower plants and water supply systems, water balance applied to a reservoir. In-depth analysis of the Bilancino reservoir and its multiple objectives (technical visit to the dam, ancillary works and plant)
5. Decision theory: full linear optimization, non-linear optimization and decision theory. Decisions under conditions of certainty, uncertainty and risk. Multi-attribute decisions, steepest-hill climbing method applied to water resources
6. Drought and aridity: time scales, definitions, causes, impacts, monitoring methods and mitigation strategies