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Updated for COVID-19 class modality on 3/18/2020

Spring 2020, University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder
TR, 8:30-9:45, Online

Instructor:           Prof. Joseph Kasprzyk

Email:                   joseph.kasprzyk@colorado.edu

Office Hours

Dr. Kasprzyk has three weekly office hours slots, all held on Zoom, all listed in Mountain Time. He is also available for individual appointments on Zoom.

Monday 12-1 pm

Wednesday 3-4 pm

Friday 10-11 am

Course Objective and Outline

This course builds on  in a changing future. There are four objectives to the course:

• Learn how to analyze water reservoir systems under multiple objectives using simulation modeling, stochastic hydrology, and scenario analysis.
• Master techniques of classical and evolutionary-algorithm based optimization.
• Consider uncertainties such as socioeconomic factors, climate change, and regulatory constraints and their impact on water resources planning and management.
• Use RiverWare as well as other computational techniques including spreadsheets and computer programming to solve water resources planning and management problems.

Topics Covered

• Reservoir analysis, rule curves, and sizing
• Reservoir simulation using RiverWare
• Water uses (e.g. hydropower, recreational and domestic uses)
• Stochastic streamflow generation, uncertainty analysis, and climate change
• Performance metric analysis including reliability, resilience, and vulnerability
• Simulation-based optimization using evolutionary algorithms
• Linear programming, stochastic programming, and robust optimization
• Multicriteria Decision Analysis
• Bottom-up decision analysis (many-objective robust decision making)

Prerequisite and Co-Requisites

There are no formal prerequisites for this course, but I assume that you have familiarity with matrix algebra, calculus, probability, statistics, and basic computer skills (including the ability to apply or learn Python and R programming and RiverWare software).  Some knowledge of fluid mechanics and hydrology is also assumed.  However, students that come from different disciplinary backgrounds should be able to learn enough about water resources to do well in the course.

Required Textbook

We will utilize some readings from the course textbook, available Open Access online: Loucks and Van Beek (2017) Water Resources Systems Planning and Management: An Introduction to Methods, Models, and Applications. Springer. I've made the book available on Canvas and it is also online at: 

Many readings will be provided in lecture notes and journal articles uploaded to Canvas.

Grading

The grade is weighted based on Assignment Groups within Canvas (see table on this page). Each grade is converted into 100 points for the purposes of doing the grade calculations. Within an Assignment Group, each item is weighted evenly (in other words, every homework is treated equally). The grading is based on Homework, Online Quizzes, and a Project.

This course will not be graded on a curve. I reserve the right to increase grades for exemplary participation, effort, or achievement. I also reserve the right to reduce your grade if there is a breach of the code of ethics or if you fail to participate in class, projects, or activities. The grade letter categories are in the table below.

Homework

The following subsections dictate the homework policy for CVEN 5393. Please read the below carefully!

All homeworks are graded -- none are dropped.

• Starting on 3/18/20, there is no penalty for late homework. Please contact the instructor if you need to turn in an assignment late; try to contact him before the assignment is due. 

Homework submittal

• Each homework will have submittal instructions that explain the format of submission and when the homework is due.
• This course will use electronic submission on Canvas only. Use  to convert handwritten work to electronic form; it is easy and fun! 

Group Policy

Each homework description will explain whether the homework is allowed to be submitted in a group. For group assignments, please use Canvas "assignment groups" to ensure all students get credit. 

Formatting Requirements

• Provide a legible, step-by-step presentation of your calculations, showing how you got the answer that you got.
• The problems must be organized with the problems in order. If a graph or other supplemental material is attached, please note this in your work. Additionally, if attaching a spreadsheet, use the excel Print Screen option or fit the spreadsheet to the width of a page so that it is easy for us to follow.
• Show units on every value in the calculation and the answer to the problem.
• Box the final answer, with appropriate units.
• Be sure to answer all parts of the question.
• The grader will take off points for violations of the 5 bullets above (step-by-step, organization, units, box answer, all parts)
• Electronic Submission: For your electronic submission file, the assignment must be professionally organized with the problems in order and scanned writing clearly legible and neat. It is not acceptable to have a set of unorganized, hard to read scans as an electronic assignment, and your grade will be penalized for this.
• Plagiarism: For assignments that require research, you must document your sources, even if the source is a website. Points will be taken off, or no credit given for the assignment at all, if I find that you have used material from a source without citing it. Please see Canvas for a guide on the required documentation format for the course.

Course Communication

If you are enrolled in the course you will be automatically subscribed to the course e-mail list using the address for your ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ email account (typically, firstname.lastname@colorado.edu). Feel free to transfer that to another account, but do not neglect e-mail messages about class.

In-Class Participation

Although there is no explicit in-class participation grade in this course, you are expected to attend every lecture. Many lectures will have group activities and discussions that will enrich the material posted on Canvas. Please inform the instructor if you have to miss for any reason.

Project

This course will have a group project in order to put the knowledge of water resources systems into practice. A separate document will be provided that outlines the rules for the project.

Quizzes

The course will utilize online quizzes on the Canvas platform, to be announced in advance. The main purpose of the quizzes is to reinforce the reading material provided outside of class.

Final Exam Period

It is unclear what the university will require for final exam periods in the COVID-19 modality. However, I have transitioned our final activities to being asynchronous -- you will be turning in your project report and a recorded presentation during final exam week.

Course schedule

A schedule is provided on Canvas; note that the course schedule is subject to change.

Additional University Policies

Accommodation for Disabilities

If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit your accommodation letter from Disability Services to your faculty member in a timely manner so that your needs can be addressed.  Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities in the academic environment.  Information on requesting accommodations is located on the . Contact Disability Services at 303-492-8671 or dsinfo@colorado.edu for further assistance.  If you have a temporary medical condition or injury, see  under the Students tab on the Disability Services website.

Classroom Behavior

Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation or political philosophy.  For more information, see the policies on  and the .

Preferred Student Names and Pronouns

ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder recognizes that students' legal information doesn't always align with how they identify. Students may update their preferred names and pronouns via the student portal; those preferred names and pronouns are listed on instructors' class rosters. In the absence of such updates, the name that appears on the class roster is the student's legal name.

Honor Code

All students enrolled in a University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder course are responsible for knowing and adhering to the Honor Code. Violations of the policy may include: plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, lying, bribery, threat, unauthorized access to academic materials, clicker fraud, submitting the same or similar work in more than one course without permission from all course instructors involved, and aiding academic dishonesty. All incidents of academic misconduct will be reported to the Honor Code (honor@colorado.edu); 303-492-5550). Students found responsible for violating the academic integrity policy will be subject to nonacademic sanctions from the Honor Code as well as academic sanctions from the faculty member. Additional information regarding the Honor Code academic integrity policy can be found at the Honor Code Office website.

Sexual Misconduct, Discrimination, Harassment and/or Related Retaliation

The University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder (ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder) is committed to fostering a positive and welcoming learning, working, and living environment. ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder will not tolerate acts of sexual misconduct, intimate partner abuse (including dating or domestic violence), stalking, or protected-class discrimination or harassment by members of our community. Individuals who believe they have been subject to misconduct or retaliatory actions for reporting a concern should contact the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC) at 303-492-2127 or cureport@colorado.edu. Information about the OIEC, university policies, , and the campus resources can be found on the .

Please know that faculty and instructors have a responsibility to inform OIEC when made aware of incidents of sexual misconduct, discrimination, harassment and/or related retaliation, to ensure that individuals impacted receive information about options for reporting and support resources.

Religious Holidays

Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to deal reasonably and fairly with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance.  For each class, check with your faculty member in advance so that you are aware of their specific requirements for accommodating religious observances.

See the  for full details.

Academic Integrity

University Policy: All students enrolled in a University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder course are responsible for knowing and adhering to the Honor Code. Violations of the policy may include: plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, lying, bribery, threat, unauthorized access to academic materials, clicker fraud, submitting the same or similar work in more than one course without permission from all course instructors involved, and aiding academic dishonesty. All incidents of academic misconduct will be reported to the Honor Code (honor@colorado.edu); 303-492-5550). Students who are found responsible for violating the academic integrity policy will be subject to nonacademic sanctions from the Honor Code as well as academic sanctions from the faculty member. Additional information regarding the Honor Code academic integrity policy can be found at the Honor Code Office website.

CEAE Policy: The Department of Civil, Environmental, & Architectural Engineering (CEAE) requires all students to adhere to a strict policy of academic integrity. These expectations are in accordance with the University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder Honor Code, but this policy is intended to provide more specific guidelines for all undergraduate and graduate students in CEAE. Ethical behavior in college sets the stage for a lifetime of professional and ethical behavior that is expected of all engineering professionals. This policy describes the academic sanctions that will be imposed by CEAE faculty members. Faculty retain the right to set academic sanctions, and if they choose individual courses can deviate from the expectations stated below; these changes will be noted in the course syllabus. All incidents of academic misconduct will be reported to the Honor Code Council. Non- academic sanctions are the purview of the Honor Code Council.

Any activity that could give you an unfair advantage over other students may be cheating. Specific examples of actions that are considered to be cheating and therefore violations of academic integrity:

• Plagiarizing a homework, lab report, or problem set. On assignments that require you to use supplemental materials, you must properly document the sources of information that you used. If you are uncertain about allowable reference materials or how to document your sources, ask your instructor in advance. Specific examples of plagiarism related to homeworks, labs, or problem sets include but are not limited to:
  • copying from a solution manual
  • copying from Internet sites
  • copying from previous semester’s homework set or lab report
  • copying directly from classmates
  • copying lab data that you yourself did not participate in collecting
  • Plagiarizing content in a paper, report, thesis, or dissertation, by copying material from a published sources or the internet, without appropriate citation format and attribution
  • Using unapproved information during a closed-book test or quiz (such as a reference sheet, information stored in a calculator, iPhone, information written on your skin)
  • Copying from another student during a quiz, exam, or test
  • Working in groups on web based quizzes, exams, or tests
  • Working in groups on take-home quizzes, exams, or tests
  • Asking another student about questions on an exam that you have not yet taken
  • Changing the answer on your test/homework after it was graded and then telling the instructor that there was a grading mistake
  • Allowing another student to copy your homework, lab report, or allowing another student to look at your answers during a quiz or exam

The list above is not exhaustive; other violations are possible. Any violation will be reported to the Honor Code Council.  Any first violation of academic integrity on graded course activities (i.e. homework, lab reports, exams) will result in a minimum sanction of a zero score and an entry in your department file. Instructors can increase these penalties to assigning a failing grade (F) for the entire course. The department will retain a list of all instances of academic integrity violations. Additional sanctions will be imposed for subsequent violations.