NRES/GEOG 400/600 International Issues for Water Development
Fall Semester 2015 (3 credits)
NRES 400; NRES 600; GEOG 400; GEOG 600
International Issues for Water Development
Course Meeting Time:Monday & Wednesday1 to 2:15 p.m., MS 321
Student World Water Forum: November19-20,2015
Course Instructor:Laurel Saito, FA 220A
Phone: 775 784 1921; e-mail:
Office hours: M 8:30-9:30 am or by appointment
Catalog Description:Evaluates the integration of science, technology, culture, policy, and economics in international issues of water use and development.
Pre-requisites:Completion of CO 1-8; junior or senior standing.
Course Description:Every living thing on earth needs water to survive in one way or another. Thus, it is a global resource. In this course, you will gain an appreciation of how local water issues are pertinent in a global sense, and how social/cultural, economic, political, environmental, and technological circumstances affect the implementation of water projects both domestically and abroad.
In this course you will evaluate the integration of science, technology, culture, policy, ecology, and economics in international water issues for large- and small-scale project implementation. You will study how water use and management has been influenced by cultural dynamics, economic systems, political organization, technological change, and scientific understanding. You will be critically analyzing water project development and grappling with differences in water planning, policy, and project development in a variety of social and technological environments. You are expected to come to each class period prepared by reading the assigned materials. All students will prepare a 10 to 15 page conference paper. In addition students willeither make a 10-minute paper presentation or present a posterat the Student World Water Forum (SWWF). The SWWF will simulate a professional international conference. In addition to writing the conference paper, you will be responsible for completing an assignment and writingtwoessays (4 to 6 pages) based upon the readings, class lectures, and discussions.
Course Objectives:This course is designed to meet Core Objective 11 (CO11) Global Contexts. Students will apply and evaluate modes of academic inquiry, creative expression, or results of research to problems in historical and contemporary global contexts. Students will articulate connections among local, national, and international contexts and evaluate ways that historical and contemporary global influences affect their current situations. This course also meets Core Objective 13 (CO13) Integration & Synthesis. Students will be able to integrate and synthesize Core knowledge, enabling them to analyze open-ended problems or complex issues. In addition, this course develops Core Objectives 1 (Effective Composition and Communications), and 3 (Critical Analysis and Use of Information).
More specifically, students in this course will:
1. Learn why local water issues are pertinent in a global sense.
- Learn about the synthesis of social/cultural, economic, political, environmental, and technological circumstances that affect water use, management, and governance both domestically and abroad.
- Learn about international water project development by grappling with differences in water planning, policy, and project development in a variety of social and technological environments.
- Practice and refineskills in critical reading, writing, and discussion in relation to issues about water and society.
- Graduate students will organize a simulated international conference as part of a conference organizing committee
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):As a result of participating in this course, successful students will be able to:
- Use (in writing) the appropriate metrics and language to evaluate the context of several different water-related situations common throughout the world. (CO1, CO 3, CO13)
- Synthesize materials and argue persuasively (in writing and in an oral conference-style presentation) about a contemporary water issue of international significance. (CO1, CO11, CO13)
- Explain (in writing and through discussion), the history, parties, uncertainties, strategies, mechanisms, and future prospects for a current international water treaty. (CO1, CO11, CO13)
- Synthesize information (in writing) about how social equity, cultural norms, security considerations, and/or the time scale of problem evolution influence decision-making about water in various parts of the world. (CO1, CO3, CO11, CO13)
Exams and Grading:Undergraduates
Attendance & Participation200 points
Assignment and Essays300
Pop Quizzes 100
Research paper250
Presentation of research paper150
TOTAL POSSIBLE1000 points
Graduate students
Attendance & Participation200 points
Assignment and Essays300
Pop Quizzes 100
Research paper250
Presentation of research paper150
Organization of SWWF300
TOTAL POSSIBLE1300 points
Note: All assignments are due at the beginning of class. They will be assessed a 10% late penalty if not turned in during class, and an additional 10% for each day beyond. We use a +/- grading scale as follows:
A92.6-100%C72.6-77.4%
A-90.0-92.5%C-70.0-72.5%
B+87.5-89.9%D+67.5-69.9%
B82.6-87.4%D62.6-67.4%
B-80.0-82.5%D-60.0-62.5%
C+77.5-79.9%F<60%
Attendance:As a capstone and graduate-level course that focuses on the synthesis of complex water issues in regards to policy, culture, technology, and interdisciplinary aspects, attendance is a key element to your success in this class. There are no exams associated with this class; rather, the class will involve discussions and synthesis of readings, audio-visual materials, and group exercises in class. Thus, it is essential that students attend class to participate in these syntheses. You are expected to be in the classroom each day for the entire class period. Absence, late attendance and leaving the classroom during the class period will be noted accordingly.
Participation:The reading assignments are critical to learning in this class and provide background material for productive discussions. Discussion and debate of the complex issues we cover in this class enhances your learning as well as that of your classmates. Participation includes providing comments on the issues in class based on the readings and discussion; contributing actively to group exercises in class; and the quality of questions posedabout the assigned readings.
Assignment and Essays:Oneassignment will be distributed early inthe semester to ensure that key points made in early lectures and readings are understood. Essays will be take-home and will involve your analysis and synthesis of class readings and material. Detailed instructions will be provided.
Pop Quizzes:Pop quizzes will be given periodically throughout the semester and will focus on assigned course readings to promote richer discussion of these readings. These quizzes will be at the beginning of the class period so be sure to get to class on time. Missed pop quizzes cannot be made up.
Research paper:A major portion of the course grade consists of the preparation of a 10 to 15 page research paper on an international water-related topic, which will also be the topic for your presentation (see below). Detailed instructions will be provided later in the course.
Presentation of research paper: You will prepare a presentation on the research topic selected for your research paper, and give that presentation at the Student World Water Forum (SWWF) on November19 or 20. Detailed instructions will be provided.
Graduate students only: Graduate students willorganize the SWWF as a conference organizing committee. Graduate students are also required to examine available literature, and relate the literature to the final essay and the research paper.
Required Textbooks:See attached reading list. A good resource for water-related terms can be found in the US Geological Survey’s online water science glossary of terms. This can be accessed at: or through the course web page.
Web page:wcl.unr.edu and
If you have a disability and will be requiring assistance, please contact one of us and the Disability Resource Center (Thompson Building Suite 100) as soon as possible to arrange for appropriate accommodations.
In consideration of your fellow students and the instructors,you must turn off cell phones, IPODs and laptop computers during class time, unless you have prior permission from the instructors.
Statement on Audio and Video Recording: Surreptitious or covert video-taping of class or unauthorized audio recording of class is prohibited by law and by Board of Regents policy. This class may be videotaped or audio recorded only with the written permission of the instructor. In order to accommodate students with disabilities, some students may have been given permission to record class lectures and discussions. Therefore, students should understand that their comments during class may be recorded.
Academic Success Services:
Your student fees cover usage of the Tutoring Center (784-6801 or and University Writing Center (784-6030 or These centers can support your classroom learning.
A Note on Plagiarism:
Plagiarism (copying all or part of someone else’s work and passing it off as your own) is aserious form of academic misconduct and will not be tolerated in this class. The followingdefinitions and possible courses of action are taken from the Academic Standards section of theuniversity catalog:
Academic dishonesty is defined as: cheating, plagiarism or otherwise obtaininggrades under false pretenses. Plagiarism is defined as submitting the language, ideas,thoughts or work of another as one’s own; or assisting in the act of plagiarism byallowing one’s work to be used in this fashion….
Disciplinary procedures for incidents of academic dishonesty may involve bothacademic action and administrative action for behavior against the campus regulations ofstudent conduct….Academic action may include: (1) canceling the student’s enrollmentin the class without a grade; (2) filing a final grade of “F”; (3) awarding a failing mark onthe test or paper in question; (4) requiring the student to retake the test or resubmit thepaper.
“The work of another” does not just mean whole papers or articles copied from another source.It includes any information, ideas, sentences, or phrases that came from somewhere other thanyour own head (i.e. books, articles, internet sites, videos, documents, lecture notes or handoutsfrom other courses, and any other sources used in your paper). These must be properlyacknowledged by providing references either in the text or in a footnote, along with abibliography giving the complete publication information for all sources used in your paper.Even if you paraphrase someone else’s ideas and do not quote them directly, you still mustacknowledge your source. Citations should also be given for little-known facts and statistics.Ignorance is not an excuse for plagiarism. If you are not sure whether you need to providea source for a piece of information or how to cite a source, ask the instructors.
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NRES/GEOG 400/600 International Issues for Water Development
Fall Semester 2015 Course Schedule
Note: see Dr. Saito or Dr. Berry for login and password to retrieve linked documents
Date
/Topics
/Readings
/Notes
WK 1, M / Introduction / ----- / Distribute paper/presentation guidelinesWK 1, W / International water issues in context / Klaver (2012)
WK 2, M / Labor Day Holiday – no class
WK 2, W / Hydrology review / Manning (1997), Ch. 1 / Distribute Assignment 1
WK 3, M / Water infrastructure / Cech (2003), Chs. 1 and 6
Vaidyanathan (2011)
Bagla (2014)
WK 3, W / Desalination & fog water capture / Mandell (2012)
Vince (2010) / Assignment #1 due
WK 4, M / Irrigated agriculture / Chobin-Kuper et al. (2006)
WK 4, W / Water energy food nexus / Bazilian et al. (2011)
Department of Energy (2014)
WK 5, M / Creeping environmental problems / Glantz (1998) / Research paper topics due
WK 5, W / Water for wetlands & riparian areas / Lawler (2005)
WK 6, M / Floods & floodplain mgt / Ward (2002), Ch. 6
WK 6, W / Drought / Wilhite & Glantz (1985)
Redmond (2002) / Draft abstract due
WK 7, M / Urban water supplies / McDonald et al. (2011)
WK 7, W / Health & water / Riley et al. (1998)
IAWR (2013)
WK 8, M / Water rights / Crase and Dollery (2006)
WK 8, W / Equity & water law / Funke et al. (2007)
Tewari (2006) / Final abstract due
Paper outline due
WK 9, M / Culture and water / Strang (2009)
WK 9, W / Gender and water / Hawkins & Seager (2010)
WK 10, M / Transboundary waters / Allouche (2007)
WK 10, W / Cooperation & conflict & water / Etienne & Nembrini (1995)
Mehta et al. (2012)
WK 11, M / International water treaties / Drieschova & Fischhendler (2011) / Research paper due
Distribute Assignment 2
WK 11, W / Water privatization / Rothfeder (2003)
Valdovinos (2012)
WK 12, M / Pricing water / Bauer (2010)
Maxwell (2012)
WK 12, W / IWRM and adaptive management / Hering & Ingold (2012)
Pahl-Woestl (2007) / Assignment2 due
WK 13, M / No class
WK 13, M / No class
WK 13, R-F / Student World Water Forum [Thursday in JCSU Great Room; Friday in JCSU rm 324]
Keynote speaker(4 pm; Redfield Auditorium in DMS)
WK 14, M / Defining water security / Cook and Bakker (2013)
ICA (2012)
WK 14, W / Water security web / Farnum (2014)
Zeitoun (2013)
WK 15, M / Water footprints & virtual water / Hoekstra & Mekonnen (2012)
Wichelns (2010)
WK 15, W / Visioning water / Cosgrove & Rijsberman (2000), Ch. 4
Grayman et al. (2012), Ch. 2
WK 16, M / Water matters and perspective / ----- / Distribute final essay
WK 17, M / Final period (10:15-12:15pm) / Final essay due
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NRES/GEOG 400/600 International Issues for Water Development
Readings:
Allouche J. 2007. The governance of Central Asian waters: national interests versus regional cooperation. Disarmament Forum 4:45-55. (allouche07.pdf)
Bauer C. 2010. Market approaches to water allocation: lessons from Latin America. Jrnl of Contemp. Water Res & Ed 144: 44-49. (bauer10.pdf)
Bazilian M, Rogner H, Howells M, Hermann S, Arent D, Gielen D, Steduto P, Mueller A, Komor P, Tol RSJ, Yumkella KK. 2011. Considering the energy, water and food nexus: Towards an integrated modeling approach. Energy Policy 39:7896-7906. (bazilian11.pdf)
Cech T. 2003. Principles of water resources: History, development, management, and policy. Pp. 1-12, 149-155. New York: John Wiley & Sons. (cech03.pdf)
Chobin-Kuper A, Ducrot R, Tonneau JP, Rocha Barros E. 2006. Role-playing game development in irrigation management: A social learning approach. Pp. 259-274 in Perret S, Farolfi S, Hassan R, editors. Water governance for sustainable development: Approaches and lessons from developing and transitional countries. London: Earthscan. (chobin06.pdf)
Cook, C, Bakker, K. 2013. Debating the Concept of Water Security. Pp. 49-63in Lankford, B, Bakker, K, Zeitoun M, Conway, D, editors. Water security: Principles, perspectives, and practices. New York: Routledge. (cook13.pdf)
Cosgrove WJ, Rijsberman FR. 2000. Chapter 4: Our vision of water and life in 2025. Pp. 48-57 in World Water Vision: Making Water Everybody’s Business. London (UK): Earthscan. (see
Crase L, Dollery B. 2006. Water rights: A comparison of the impacts of urban and irrigation reforms in Australia. Australian Journal of Agricultural & Resource Economics 50: 451-462. (crase06.pdf)
Dept of Energy. 2014. The water-energy nexus: Challenges and opportunities: Overview and summary. Pp. 12. Washington DC: US Department of Energy. (doe14.pdf)
Drieschova A, Fischhendler I. 2011. A toolkit of mechanisms to reduce uncertainty in international water treaties. Jerusalem: Hebrew University & CLICO. (drieschova11.pdf)
Etienne Y, Nembrini PG. 1995. Establishing water and sanitation programmes in conflict situations: the case of Iraq during the Gulf War. Soz Präventivmed 40:18-26. (etienne.pdf)
Farnum RL. 2014. Water for food: feeding what? A comparative analysis of Egyptian and Israeli national water policies toward water in agricultural production. Future of Food: Journal on Food, Agriculture and Society 2(1): 140-145. (farnum14.pdf)
Funke N, Nortje K, Findlater K, Burns M, Turton A, Weaver A, Hattingh H. 2007. Redressing inequality: South Africa’s new water policy. Environment 49(3):11-23. (funke07.pdf)
Glantz MH. 1998. Chapter 4: Creeping environmental problems in the Aral Sea basin. Pp. 25-52 in Kobori I, Glantz MH, editors. Central Eurasian Water Crisis: Caspian, Aral, and Dead Seas. Tokyo: United Nations University Press. (glantz.pdf)
Grayman W, Loucks DP, Saito L. 2012. Chapter 2: Looking into the next 40 years – 40 years ago. Pp. 12-21 in Toward a sustainable water future: visions for 2050. Reston: American Society of Civil Engineers. (grayman12.pdf)
Hawkins R, Seager J. 2010. Gender and water in Mongolia. The Professional Geographer 62:16-31. (hawkins10.pdf)
Hering, JG, Ingold KM. 2012. Water resource management: What should be integrated? Science 336:1234-1235. (hering12.pdf)
Hoekstra AY, Mekonnen MM. 2012. The water footprint of humanity. PNAS:1-6. (hoekstra12.pdf)
[ICA] Intelligence Community Assessment. 2012. Global water security. (ICA12.pdf)
[IAWR] Internationale Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wasserwerke im Rheineinzugsgebiet. 2013. Memorandum regarding the protection of European rivers and watercourses in order to protect the provision of drinking water. Dusseldorf: IAWR. (
Klaver IJ. 2012. Placing water and culture. Pp. 9-29, in Hiwasaki L, Klaver IJ, Ramos Castillo A, Strang V, editors. Water, cultural diversity and global environmental change: Emerging trends, sustainable futures? Dordrecht: Springer. (klaver12.pdf)
Lawler A. 2005. Revising Iraq’s wetlands. Science 307:1186-1189. (lawler05.pdf)
Mandell M. 2012. Water From The Sea: The Risks And Rewards Of Israel's Huge Bet On Desalination. International Business Times July 14, 2012. (mandell12.pdf)
Manning J. 1997. Applied Principles of Hydrology. 3rd Edition. Pp. 1-6. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. (manning97.pdf)
Maxwell S. 2012. Water is still cheap: demonstrating the true value of water. Journal of the American Water Works Association 104(5): 31-37.
McDonald RI, Douglas I, Revenga C, Hale R, Grimm N, Gronwall J, Fekete B. 2011. Global urban growth and the geography of water availability, quality, and delivery. Ambio 40(5):437-446. (mcdonald11.pdf)
Mehta L, Veldwisch, GJ, Franco J. 2012. Introduction to the Special Issue: Water grabbing? Focus on the (re)appropriation of finite water resources. Water Alternatives 5(2): 193-207. (mehta12.pdf)
Pahl-Wostl C. 2007. Transitions towards adaptive management of water facing climate and global change. Water Resources Management 21:49-62. (pahl07.pdf)
Redmond, KT. 2002. The depiction of drought: A commentary. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 1143-1147. (redmond02.pdf)
Riley MB, Murphy AD, Rosado MAM. 1998. Chapter 12: A reversal of tides: drinking water quality in Oaxaca de Juárez, Mexico. Pp. 237-261 in Donahue JM, Johnston BR, editors. Water, Culture, and Power: Local Struggles in a Global Context. Washington (DC): Island Press. (riley.pdf)
Rothfeder J. 2003. Water rights, conflict, and culture. Water Resources Impact 5(2): 19-21. (rothfeder.pdf)
Strang, V. 2009. Chapter 3: Indigenous fluidscapes. Pp. 85-118. In Gardening the world: Agency, identity and the ownership of water. New York; Berghahn. (strang09.pdf)
Tewari DD. 2006. An evolutionary history of water rights in South Africa. Pp. 155-182 in Tvedt T, Oestigaard T, editors. A History of Water: The World of Water. London: IB Tauris. (tewari06.pdf)
Vaidayanathan G. 2011. Remaking the Mekong. Nature 478:305-307. (vaidyanathan11.pdf)
Valdovinos J. 2012. The remunicipalization of Parisian water services: New challenges for local authorities and policy implications. Water International 37(2):107-120. (valdovinos12.pdf)
Vince G. 2010. Out of the mist. Science 330:750-751. (vince10.pdf)
Ward DR. 2002. Chapter 6: Raging rivers: living in floodplains. Pp. 153-172 in Water Wars: Drought, Flood, Folly and the Politics of Thirst. New York: Putnam. (ward02_ch6.pdf)
Wichelns D. 2010. Virtual water: A helpful perspective but not a sufficient policy criterion. Water Resources Management 24:2203-2219. (wichelns10.pdf)
Wilhite DA, Glantz MH. 1985. Understanding the drought phenomenon: The role of definitions. Water International 10(3)111-120. (wilhite85.pdf)
Zeitoun, M. 2013. The Web of Sustainable Water Security. Pp. 11-25 in Lankford, B, Bakker, K, Zeitoun M, Conway, D, editors. Water security: Principles, perspectives, and practices. New York: Routledge. (zeitoun13.pdf)
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