Applied Hydrology

This course will intro­duce the prac­tice of sur­face water hydrol­o­gy as water plays a role in the devel­op­ment of most human activ­i­ties. Var­i­ous land phase hydro­log­ic process­es will be described. Meth­ods of devel­op­ment of inten­si­ty-dura­tion-fre­quen­cy curves for rain­fall, esti­ma­tion of rain­fall at ungauged loca­tions, stream flow mea­sure­ment meth­ods, flood fre­quen­cy analy­sis, region­al fre­quen­cy analy­sis for esti­mat­ing stream flows at ungauged loca­tions and risk assess­ment in hydro­log­ic design will be dis­cussed. Approx­i­mate meth­ods for esti­mat­ing storm water stor­age require­ments for urban devel­op­ment and var­i­ous hydro­log­ic and hydraulic modes used in the pro­fes­sion­al domain will be intro­duced. Based cal­cu­la­tions with­in var­i­ous hydro­log­ic pro­ce­dures as required for address­ing sur­face water hydrol­o­gy issues will also be covered.

Course at a glance
What you will learn

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

  • Describe various hydrologic processes and the interrelationships between them.
  • Describe methods of analysis of components of the hydrologic cycle.
  • Develop problem-solving skills and analytical tools for hydrologic problems to such a degree that recognizes the necessary steps involved and perform basic calculations.
  • Relate to various measurement and modelling techniques for hydrologic variables and understand the inherent variability and uncertainty in those parameters.
This course has no prerequisites

Students from all educational backgrounds welcome. You can register for this course without applying and enrolling in a program.

Take note:

  • While there are no prerequisites for this course, basic knowledge of mathematics, science, and elementary statistics is required for student success. 
  • Assessment includes assignments, a mid-term, and a final exam.
  • A scientific calculator is required.
  • A computer for use in class is required.

Recommended Readings:

  • Applied Hydrology, Chow, V.T., Maidment, D. R., and Mays, L.W., 1988
  • Handbook of Hydrology, edited by D. R. Maidment, 1993
  • RUSLEFAC-Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation for Application in Canada: A Handbook for Estimating Soil Loss from Water Erosion in Canada, Research Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2002
Currently counts towards:

Applicants intending to enrol in a program are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to lock in their course requirements since they are prone to change.

*If you are already enroled in this program, please refer to your specific program requirements as outlined at the time of your admission: Bear Tracks > Academic Advisement.

When will
this course be offered?

New course schedules are released each June and November.

Course not yet scheduled

This course is not currently scheduled, but may be offered in an upcoming term.

New course schedules are announced each June and November.


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