ENE421: Engineering Hydrology
Fall 2016

Instructor: Prof. P. Mantha, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, 1449 Engineering
Research Court Room A130, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824.
Phone: (517) 432-0851. email: [email protected]

Class Meets: M, W, F 1:50 pm – 2:40 pm, Room: 1260 Anthony Hall.

Regular Office Hours: M, W: 4:00 – 5:00 PM (Room: TBD) or by appointment

Text: Larry W. Mays, Water Resources Engineering, Second Edition, John Wiley & Sons Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-470-46064-1. To purchase the textbook directly from the publisher for $83.20 (custom edition
for MSU students), please use the following link: http://store.vitalsource.com/show/9781119316930

Course Objectives:

1. Compute infiltration in soils (E)

2. Apply the principles of sustainability in design (S)
3. Apply Darcy's law to analyze simple 1-D groundwater flows (E)
4. Apply well dynamics theory to predict drawdown in an aquifer (E)
5. Use the unit hydrograph technique to determine a stream flow hydrograph (E)
6. Use the rational method to determine peak flow and develop a synthetic hydrograph (C)
7. Design a sewer system for a planned development (C)
8. Determine the size of detention pond required to control runoff from an urban development. (C)
9. Identify the basic elements of your design that are specifically controlled by federal, state and/or local
regulations or codes. (P3)
10. Explain the basic concepts in project management (P1)
11. Explain the basic concepts in leadership (P4)
12. Learn to apply the principles of cost-effective design for contaminant plume management (P2)
13. Recognize the need for and the ability to engage in life-long learning (I)
14. Demonstrate knowledge of contemporary issues (J)
15. Identify and assess the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal
contexts (H)

My Teaching Philosophy: My goal in teaching is to prepare students to become confident and

responsible professionals. My approach to teaching involves being a facilitator in the learning process
as opposed to being an authoritarian favoring one-way transfer of information. My objectives,
therefore, are to understand and respect individual differences in learning and do the best I can to promote
learning in the classroom by working with individual differences rather than against them. At the same
time, I wish to impart technical skills and a sense of responsibility by encouraging students to play
the role of professionals in the classroom. I expect students to put their best effort in this course. This
involves participating in the in-class exercises, reading the assigned material before attending class, doing
the homework, editing the project reports until they are clear and correct, and preparing for quizzes and
exams.

Academic honesty: Copying all, or part, of someone else’s work, or project report, or looking at someone
else’s quiz or exam during a test period are all obvious forms of academic dishonesty.

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Anyone found guilty of academic dishonesty will get a 0.0 for the entire course. For additional
information visit the web page of the office of the ombudsman:
https://www.msu.edu/unit/ombud/

Grading Policy: Your final grade will be based on your performance in the weekly homework
assignments, four quizzes, two projects, a final exam and random in-class activities. Details are given
below:

 (5%) Random In-class activities based on material being covered in class

 (20%) Homework: Weekly homework, due a week after it is assigned. No late homework is
accepted.
 (25%) 2 projects and reports (12% + 13%): Team work (groups of two or three)
 (30%) 4 quizzes (all topics covered after the last quiz; closed book; one cheat sheet allowed).
 (20%) Final exam: comprehensive, closed book; one cheat sheet allowed.

Grading scale: I will use the following grading scale:

91 and above 4.0

Between 85 and 90 3.5
Between 85 and 80 3.0
Between 80 and 75 2.5
Between 75 and 70 2.0
Between 70 and 65 1.5
Between 65 and 55 1.0
Less than 55 0.0

Syllabus / Important Dates: We will try to follow the schedule shown below. If there are errors in the table
(or if we decide to cover some topics in more detail during the semester), the dates and topics may change. I
will announce these changes in class and/or on the course web page. It is your responsibility to check the
course web page regularly for the latest version of this document.

Study groups: Study groups, if used correctly, can aid your learning. Use a study group to discuss
methods that can be employed to solve a homework problem and when and/or why these methods are
appropriate. It is inappropriate and academically dishonest to divide-up a homework assignment (problems)
among the members of a group, each person doing a few problems and then copying the work of others for
problems you did not do.

Quizzes: The four quizzes and the final exam will test your understanding of hydrology. There will be an
emphasis on the numerical solution of word problems similar to the ones solved in class and assigned for
homework. There will also be questions to test the understanding you have developed of basic concepts and
principles through your study outside of class. Remember to bring a calculator for all quizzes and the final
exam. Closed book. One cheat sheet allowed.

Use of Electronic Devices in the Classroom: The use of laptops, cell phones, tablets and other similar
electronic devices is strictly not allowed during the class hours and during exams. Anyone found using
these devices will be asked to leave the room for that day.

Homework: Homework will be assigned to give you some practice using the concepts and procedures
discussed in class and in the text. I expect you to do your own homework. Instructions for submitting your
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homework will be given when problems are assigned. Due dates will be posted on your course web page
and/or announced using the university e-mail system. You are responsible for checking your e-mail and the
course web page in a timely manner.

Course Web Page: Follow the link: http://www.egr.msu.edu/classes/ce421/mantha/

ENE421: Fall 2016 Schedule

Topic # Date Topic
Introduction
1 Wed, Aug 31, 2016 Introduction, Course Objectives; The hydrologic cycle (today)
2 Fri, Sep 2, 2016 Water: Conservation of mass, water balance; Water at rest and in motion
Land-Atmosphere Interactions
Mon, Sept 5, 2016 University Holiday
3 Wed, Sept 7, 2016 Precipitation - 1: Formation and Measurement
4 Fri, Sept 9, 2016 Precipitation - 2: Analysis of Precipitation Data (Spatial & Temporal)
5 Mon, Sept 12, 2016 Snow, Measurement and Snowmelt
6 Wed, Sept 14, 2016 Evapotranspiration (ET) -1
7 Fri, Sept 16, 2016 Evapotranspiration (ET) -2
8 Mon, Sept 19, 2016 Work Problems to Illustrate Theory
9 Wed, Sept 21, 2016 Quiz-1 (Closed book; Topics: #1 - #8)
Land-Subsurface Interactions & Groundwater Hydrology
10 Fri, Sept 23, 2016 Project 1 Out: Form Teams
11 Mon, Sept 26, 2016 Water in Soils and Infiltration
12 Wed, Sept 28, 2016 Infiltration Models
13 Fri, Sept 30, 2016 Groundwater hydrology: Aquifers
14 Mon, Oct 3, 2016 Aquifer Properties and Storage
15 Wed, Oct 5, 2016 Theory of Groundwater Flow
16 Fri, Oct 7, 2016 Flow nets; Well hydraulics
17 Mon, Oct 10, 2016 Unsteady flow: Theis solution; wellfield
18 Wed, Oct 12, 2016 Aquifer Test Analyses
19 Fri, Oct 14, 2016 Contaminant Transport Modeling
20 Mon, Oct 17, 2016 Work Problems to Illustrate Theory
Groundwater - Surface Water Interactions & Surface Water Hydrology
21 Wed, Oct 19, 2016 Quiz-2 (Closed book; Topics: #11 - #20)
22 Fri, Oct 21, 2016 Streamflow Measurement
23 Mon, Oct 24, 2016 Hillslope Hydrology; Hydrograph separation
24 Wed, Oct 26, 2016 Generation of synthetic streamflows
25 Fri, Oct 28, 2016 Project 1 Due; Project 2 Out
26 Mon, Oct 31, 2016 Hydrograph Modeling: The SCS Curve Number method
27 Wed, Nov 2, 2016 Hydrograph Modeling: The Unit Hydrograph Technique
28 Fri, Nov 4, 2016 Hydrograph Synthesis: Lagging method, S-Curve
29 Mon, Nov 7, 2016 Work Problems to Illustrate Theory
30 Wed, Nov 9, 2016 Quiz-3 (Closed book; Topics: #22 - #29)

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Principles of Design, Sustainability, Leadership and Management in Water
Resources
31 Fri, Nov 11, 2016 Synthetic Hydrographs; Peak flow estimation; time of concentration
32 Mon, Nov 14, 2016 Stormwater Sewer Design; Intensity-duration frequency curves
33 Wed, Nov 16, 2016 Application of the Rational Method; Design Computations
34 Fri, Nov 18, 2016 Streamflow Routing
35 Mon, Nov 21, 2016 Computation of Extreme Flows
36 Wed, Nov 23, 2016 Storage routing; the PULS method; Reservoir sizing
Fri, Nov 25, 2016 University Holiday
37 Mon, Nov 28, 2016 Design of stormwater detention ponds
38 Wed, Nov 30, 2016 Work Additional Problems to Illustrate Theory
39 Fri, Dec 2, 2016 Additional Concepts of sustainability and regional water balance
40 Mon, Dec 5, 2016 Quiz-4 (Closed book; Topics: #31 - #39)
41 Wed, Dec 7, 2016 Principles of cost-effective design; Importance of Professional Licensure
42 Fri, Dec 9, 2016 Concepts in Leadership and project management;
Project 2 Due; Classes End
43 Mon, Dec 12, 2016 Final Exam between 12:45 PM and 2:45 PM in your regular classroom (1260
Anthony Hall). Comprehensive. Closed book.
Remember to bring a calculator.

In-Class Activities: The random in-class quizzes will test your understanding of the material being covered in
class on any given day. It is not possible to grade all of the in-class quizzes; therefore, a subset of randomly
selected quizzes will be graded and the score added to your final grade for the semester. You should, however,
assume that all in-class quizzes will be graded.

Projects. Projects are an important part of this course. They are carefully selected to give you experience in
hydrologic design. Project reports will be evaluated for correctness and completeness. Evaluations are evidence-
based so if you claim to have done some calculations, it is important that you include those calculations in your
report either as an Appendix or in the main body of the report. Once project teams are formed, I have no way of
evaluating individual contributions; therefore I assume that you put in your best effort. From time to time, I talk
to project teams to make sure all members have contributed to the final product (the report). If all members of a
team indicate that a certain member did not substantially contribute to the project, that individual will receive a
zero for the project. Therefore it is your responsibility to work with your project team members and to bring any
issues to my attention early on (Please do not wait until the end of the semester or close to a due date to report
issues such as, for example, your inability to work in a certain team for any reason).

Computational Thinking: I encourage computational thinking in this course as a way of solving problems and
thinking about hydrology and hydrologic systems and the world around you in general. What exactly is
computational thinking? Do a Google search to learn more or lookup Wikipedia. I encourage the use of software
tools such as MATLAB, MATHEMATICA or EXCEL to help you with your day to day computational tasks and for
visualizing data. You are doing computations if you are trying to fit a line or a distribution to your data, trying to
interpolate scattered rainfall data to create a spatial map of precipitation, or trying to solve a differential equation
so you can compare its solution to data that you or someone else collected in the field. I often say that to be a
good driver you don’t need to understand exactly how the fuel injection system works. In a similar way, you can
learn to make intelligent use of readily-available tools such as MATLAB even if you don’t understand all the
details of the algorithms used inside the functions. I will not be able to teach MATLAB or numerical methods in
this course but I expect you to make use of the help system available in MATLAB to learn how to use a function.
There are a number of freely available resources on the internet. I am happy to help you with specific tasks but
you need to ask!
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