CE 385 D - Water Resources Planning & Management

Dr. Daene McKinney


Course Objectives

This course will provide the student an introduction to the planning, design, and operation of water resources systems using mathematical optimization methods and models.  The student will learn to apply basic economic analysis (engineering economic and microeconomic analysis) and operations research techniques (linear, nonlinear and dynamic programming, and combinatorial optimization) and will apply them to various surface and ground water resource allocation problems

Topics include:

Specific Course Objectives:


Prerequisites

Graduate standing.

The student is expected to have a working knowledge of calculus. University of Texas at Austin courses M 408C, M 408D (Calculus I&II) or their equivalent.

The student is encouraged to have some knowledge of the material in the following University of Texas at Austin courses or their equivalent:


Text

Required Texts


Homework

Homework is assigned and due on the date posted on the course website:  http://www.ce.utexas.edu/prof/mckinney/ce385d/assign.html or as modified from time to time by the instructor.  The homework assignments that you turn in are intended to represent just your own work.  However, you are encouraged to work together to understand problems, find programming errors, and helping each other learn the material.  Late homework assignments will be penalized 50% per day late. Once the assignment answers are posted on the course website, no further homework will be accepted for that assignment.


Attendance

Attendance is expected. 


Office hours

Students are encouraged to consult the instructor for problems with the homework.  My office hours are listed on the web page: http://www.ce.utexas.edu/prof/mckinney/instruct.html. In addition to my posted office hours, I am available at other times to discuss the course material or other topics of interest to students. Please feel free to come to my office, call me on the telephone (293 - 1371), or send me E-mail: daene@aol.com. I expect to be off campus at the Center for Water Research in Water Resources (CRWR) at the Pickle Research Campus on Mondays and Fridays, so don't expect to find me in my campus office (ECJ 8.6) during those times. However, please feel free to stop by at CRWR, call me or send me an email message during those times that I am not on campus.


Teaching Assistant

The course has not been assigned resources for a TA or a grader. 


Exams

There will be exams during the semester. The exams will be open book and open notes notes. Students will have approximately 75 minutes to complete the exams.  Absolutely no exam material of any kind will be accepted by the instructor or proctor after the time and date the exam is due.

Makeup exams will not be given.  Medical illness (or other comparable situation) will be the only excuse for being given credit for a missed exam. If you miss an exam during the semester for a medical reason, you will be assigned a grade for the exam based on the exams which you have taken as follows: A grade for the exam that you missed will be estimated based on how you did on the other exams during the semester relative to the rest of the class. If you miss an exam due to an illness, you will be asked to present definitive evidence that you were, in fact, ill. You must inform the instructor in advance that you are ill, unless there are compelling reasons why you cannot do so. If you miss an exam for reasons other than illness or other valid excuse, you will be assigned a grade of zero (0).

If, after an exam has been graded and returned, you have questions about the grading of the exam, please write your questions or comments on a separate sheet of paper and turn this in to the instructor with the exam paper. Exam papers will be accepted for re-evaluation for only one week after the exam has been returned because of the difficulty in remembering exactly how partial credit was assigned. 


Grading

The basis of grading for this course will consist of the following components with the indicated weights:

Homework:             20%

Exams:                    40% (2 @ 20% )

Final Project:          40%  Oral Presentation - 10% (  3%    - Content,  7% - Delivery)
                                        Written Report     - 30% (22%    - Content,  8% - Composition)

Letter grades will be based on the weighted average specified above and assigned as follows:

A > 95%
A- 90 - 94%
B+ 85 - 89%
B 80 - 84%
B- 75 - 79%

Drop Policy

Graduate Students: 

From the 1st through the 4th class day, graduate students can drop a course and receive a refund.  From the 5th through the 12th class day, graduate students must initiate drops in their department; refunds are given on a dropped course through the 12th class day.  After the 12th class day, no refund is given. Graduate students can drop a class until the last class day with permission from the departmental graduate advisor and the Dean.  Students with 20 hr/week GRA/TA appointment or a fellowship may not drop below 9 hours.


Course Evaluation

Standard approved MEC form will be used.


Students with Disabilities

The University of Texas at Austin provides, upon request, appropriate academic adjustments for qualified students with disabilities. Any student with a documented disability (physical or cognitive) who requires academic accommodations should contact the Services for Students with Disabilities area of the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259 as soon as possible to request an official letter outlining authorized accommodations.  For more information, contact that Office, or TDD at 471-4641, or the College of Engineering Director of Students with Disabilities at 471-4321


Web-Based Class Sites

Web-based, password-protected class sites will be associated with all academic courses taught at the University.  Syllabi, handouts, assignments and other resources are types of information that may be available within these sites.  Site activities could include exchanging email, engaging in class discussions and chats, and exchanging files.  In addition, electronic class rosters will be a component of the sites.  Students who do not want their names included in these electronic class rosters must restrict their directory information in the Office of the Registrar, Main Building, Room 1.   For information on restricting directory information, see page 7 of the Course Schedule or  http://www.utexas.edu/student/registrar/catalogs/gi00-01/app/appc09.html. 


Topical Outline

See the WWW home page for the course: CE385D


McKinney | CE385D Civil Engineering | UT Austin