2002 (Spring) Syllabus:
FOR 364/564
Soil and Water Conservation Policy
A
Valuable Course!
MWF 9:35 -
10:30 AM; Room 209 Marshall Hall
Peter E.
Black, Instructor
SUNY College of Environmental
Science and Forestry |
|
N. B. This is a political science course,
not a field-oriented how-to-control-soil-erosion course |
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| Mon |
Day |
Quiz |
Topic/Schedule |
Reading Assignment |
|
| Jan |
14 |
|
Introduction: Course purpose,
scope |
Foreword, Preface,
Introduction 1-8 |
|
16 |
|
Historical Context |
Chapter 1: 9-38 |
|
18 |
|
Water Law: Riparian
Doctrine, Appropriation Doctrine |
Chapter 2; 39-46; 46-58 |
|
21 |
|
Martin Luther King Day -- no classes |
|
|
23 |
|
Interstate Compacts; The Colorado River,
Arizona v. California |
58-76 |
|
25 |
|
Federal/State conflicts;
Native American Water Rights Interstate cases |
76-81 |
|
28 |
|
Federal/State conflicts;
Native American Water Rights |
81-89 |
|
30 |
|
Reserved water rights; Review for Q1 |
88-91; Review |
| Feb |
1 |
Q1 |
Current events |
|
|
4 |
|
The National Organizations: Federal |
Chapter 3: 93-146 |
|
6 |
|
Film: Water for the Valley |
Study questions (in class) |
|
8 |
|
Other national organizations |
146-154 |
|
11 |
|
Regional, State, and Local Organizations:
Regional |
Chapter 4: 155-169 |
|
13 |
|
State, Local, Private |
170-191 |
|
15 |
|
Film: River of
Kings |
Study questions (in class) |
|
18 |
|
Film: Lifeline |
Study questions (in class) |
|
20 |
|
Film: The Last Waterhole |
Study questions (in class) |
|
22 |
|
Film: Water Resourcefulness |
Study questions (in class) |
|
25 |
|
Current events; Review for Q2 |
Review 93-191 (and 1-91) |
|
27 |
Q2 |
Policy, Planning, and Partnerships:
Federal: WRC, NWC, and WQC |
Chapter 5: 193-212 |
| Mar |
1 |
|
Planning: recent developments |
212-227 |
|
4 |
|
Partnerships |
228-252 |
|
6 |
|
New York City, & Syracuse, NY |
Reading to be handed out or on
reserve |
|
9-17 |
|
Spring Break - no classes |
(no reading, either!) |
|
18 |
|
Pollution, Programs, and Permits |
Chapter 6: 253-270 |
|
20 |
|
PL 92-500, et seq. |
271-290 |
|
22 |
|
No class: AWRA Student Conference |
|
|
25 |
|
Film: The Barrier Between
|
Study questions (in class) |
|
27 |
|
Point and Nonpoint Sources; the changing scene |
290-299; |
|
29 |
|
Good Friday: Easter Break -- no classes |
|
| Apr |
1 |
|
Evaluation: Introduction to BCA |
Chapter 7: 301-315 |
|
3 |
|
Supply and demand - and water |
301-315 |
|
5 |
|
Interest: Why important? Effects
of the rate; Review for Q3 |
315-322; Review 193-315 (and 1-191) |
|
8 |
Q3 |
BCA - The Green Book |
323-332 |
|
10 |
|
BCA - Bennie Kost Creek |
332-345 |
|
12 |
|
Easter Break - no classes |
(again, no reading!) |
|
15 |
|
Water Resource Projects Flood
control - High Creek |
Chapter 8: 347-349 |
|
17 |
|
Water supply - Denver and pricing |
349-375 |
|
19 |
|
Film: The Old Quabbin Valley |
Study questions (in class) |
|
22 |
|
Hydroelectric Power and Navigation |
375-380 |
|
24 |
|
Continued; Review for Q4 |
Review 301-399 (and 1-299) |
|
26 |
Q4 |
PL 566 - Mud Creek, water
quality control, recreation, and change |
381-399 |
|
27 |
|
Otisco Lake Watershed Field Trip,
required fee is: $5.00, which includes buffet luncheon |
NB: a Saturday, 8:45 AM-5:00PM |
|
29 |
|
Conservation - windup |
Chapter 9: 401-413 |
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SUNDRY DETAILS
- Dr. Black's office is in Room 215 Marshall Hall; office hours are posted; email peblack@esf.edu. My door is open and I am happy to have you drop in
at your convenience (if I'm busy, I'll tell you), but my email is always on and that is an
effective way to communicate, especially for questions that may occur to you while reading: Graduate Assistant is
Lynn E. Washlawski,
email: lewashla@syr.edu, office hours will be
posted outside B7, Marshall.
- Grading for undergraduate students will be on the basis of 4 quizzes (10% each), participation (10%) and a
comprehensive final exam (50%) that is based mostly on the quizzes but may include a
choice of 2 or 3 short essays. The cumulative-information quizzes will be based on
readings, slides, films, and class discussion.
- Grading for graduate students in FOR 664
will be 4 quizzes (8% each), participation (10%), term paper (18%), and 40% for the essay
final exam.
- Quiz grading and Attendance policy below.
- Read assignments in advance of class so that (a) you know what is going on, (b) can respond to
questions that will count toward your participation grade, and (c) will be
prepared for quizzes. Class period will amplify, clarify, and balance readings, primarily
with slides and discussion to prepare for the quizzes. If you don't know what is covered
during class sessions, you will not pass quizzes, final exam, or the course. Text for the
course is Black and Fisher, 2001. Conservation of Water and Related Land Resources,
Third Edition, available at Follett's Orange Bookstore.
- NOTE: this schedule is subject to change, and more than likely will! Watch the
glassed-in bulletin board outside my office for timely announcements and schedule
adjustments, including possible changes in quiz dates.
QUIZ POLICIES
QUIZ GRADING: The lowest quiz will not be used in the
end-of-the-semester course grade determination on the following conditions:
(a) only if there are grades for all 4 quizzes (meaning that a zero
grade due to a missing quiz will not be thrown out),
(b) if doing so lowers the student's course grade, and
(c) an A grade will not be awarded if any assignment is not completed
(e.g., a missed quiz), regardless of average.
MISSING A QUIZ: Legitimate, excused absences on days that a
quiz is scheduled will be granted only if the absence is caused by an action that is
beyond the control of the student:
(a) A "legitimate, excused absence" is one
necessitated by a death in the family or by illness. Documentation of the cause of absence
will help administration of this policy. I have been known to grant "legitimate
excuse" status to students who had to be absent for just causes and reasons beyond
their control including out-of-town job interviews, temporary military duty, crime-victim
status, severe and proximate (that means your vehicle) transportation difficulties (not
including "I was late and couldn't find a parking slot"),
and urgent, humane support assistance to a roommate.
(b) I will consider others, and would
prefer that you let me know if you must be absent from a quiz (for whatever reason) in
advance, if at all possible (use the phone and my answering machine if I'm not in).
(c) I will do everything I can to help a student
make up a legitimately-missed quiz by: (a) (preferably) taking it before it is
given to the rest of the class, if possible, (b) taking it immediately following the quiz
(before the next class meeting) if the student asserts that he/she has not communicated
with any other members of the class, or (c) if scheduling a replacement quiz is not
feasible, by substituting the average of the other three quiz grades for the quiz that is
missed.
(d) Attendance at all class sessions is strongly advised. There will be
information from all lectures, readings, films, on quizzes and the final exam. If you are
absent on the day a quiz is returned, you may pick it up in my office but there will be
no adjustments to grades such as those that might be afforded those who attend class when they
are returned.
(e) Quiz grades for unexcused absences (where the
student is absent of his/her own volition) will be counted as a zero.
3. GENERALLY: Note that I have
little tolerance for students who have miss any class without cause.
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