Office: 125 Science Building
E-mail: jritter

Phone: 327-7332 (If you leave a message on the university answering service, you may not assume that I will receive that message in a timely manner. Contact me in person if problems arise with test dates.)

Office Hours: MWF 12:40-1:40 pm, T 12:30-2:00 pm, whenever my door is open, or by appointment. If I am not in my office, check Computer Lab (123) then Sed Lab (back of 113)
Lecture: MW 9:10 - 10:10 am (Sec 3) and 10:20-11:20 am (Sec 4)

Required Text: Pillar of Sand by Sandra Postel

Laboratory: F 8:00-10:00 am (Sec 3) and 10:20 am-12:20 pm (Sec 4)
Manual: Physical Geology and the Hydrologic Cycle ($ 5.00)

This section of Geology 110 will survey physical geology within the context of the hydrologic cycle. The course is divided into two parts beginning with an examination of the hydrologic cycle. From rainfall to infiltration, groundwater flow, and runoff, the spatial and temporal distribution of water and water resources will be studied. The second part of the course will examine the impact of water on the earth landscape. We will begin with the classification of earth materials, both minerals and rocks, but will then concentrate on the role of water in reshaping the rocks and minerals into the landscapes in which you live. We will discuss weathering of rocks and minerals, the formation of drainage basins and patterns, stream processes and landforms, and karst processes and landforms.

Geology 110 satisfies the Natural World requirement. In this course you should gain an understanding of the natural world through scientific inquiry and see the relation between science, technology, and contemporary culture. The relation between science and contemporary culture is particularly revealing in this idea of landscape equilibrium. Humans have a tremendous impact on many of the variables mentioned above, including climate, vegetation, soil development, runoff processes, surface slopes and stream density. The landscape responds in ways that may or may not be intuitive to you, but you will be responsible for integrating material and reasoning through possible responses. In addition, the relation between science and contemporary culture will be addressed in terms of water resources, as you examine water budgets or discuss surface and subsurface water quantity and quality, reasons for and problems resulting from flooding, and impacts of global climate change on several components of the hydrologic cycle among others. The relation between science and technology will be demonstrated in several of the labs where computers are used for simulations or hardware is used for data collection and will be discussed throughout the course particularly in terms of scientific inquiry and data collection.

In this course, you should develop skills that permit interpretation of earth materials, geologic history and processes, and the earth's structure. Most of you are familar with the scientific method. It is generally assumed that this methodology is the only way of "knowing" or seeking truth in the natural sciences. (What the heck? Truth?) In Geology 110, you will use the scientific method your geological inquiry, but we will debate whether it is the only way of knowing or seeking truth. We will discuss whether there is a human dimension in the sciences, geology specifically, that affects our collection, analysis, interpretation, and use of scientific data. Geology is unique in the natural sciences in that the time scale of interest is not one of human dimensions, but rather one of geologic dimensions. However, in order to study phenomenon that occur over geologic, we depend on observation of phenomenon occurring at present. You should gain an understanding of how analysis of present systems permits inferences about past and future behavior and consequences. Finally, you should understand the variability and complexity typical of geologic systems and their interdependent processes. These learning goals are stated more explicitly below.

Learning goals will be assessed through objective exams, laboratory exercises and written summaries, a research paper, and your own assessment of your work using a portfolio. Your grade will be based on two objective exams (20 % of the total grade), written laboratory summaries (30 %), one research paper (20 %), and a portfolio of ten items matched to learning goals (30 %). Final grades will be based on the final percentage, at approximately the following scale: A ³ 90 %, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, and D = 60-69. Grades < 60 are failing (no credit). While this is the traditional distribution, it will serve only as a starting point. I will adjust it (downward only) according to major breaks in the class distribution. Extra credit is not available. If you are doing poorly, see me early. I may be able to offer suggestions concerning study habits to help you improve your grade; however, seeing me, and even seeing me often, will not improve your grade by default. You will have to implement some of the things we might talk about! I consider improvement throughout the semester and class attendance and participation in cases of borderline grades.

I expect you to take exams at the scheduled time. If circumstances do not permit you to take exams at the scheduled time, you are absolutely required to inform me 24 hours in advance of the exam time in order to schedule an alternative exam time. The makeup exam will be at some convenient time following the scheduled exam time. It will not be possible to take the final exam before the scheduled exam time so please do not ask. I expect you always to do your own work, as specified in your student handbook.

Tentative Schedule

Week	Topic/Reading	Lab
Aug 23-27	Introduction; Modeling the Hydrologic Cycle	Rainfall-Runoff Data
Aug 30-Sep 3	Controls on Water Quantity; Streamflow Hydrographs; Runoff Processes	Stream Discharge
Sep 6-10	Abstractions in the Cycle: Evaporation and Transpiration	Water Balance Revisted
Sep 13-17	Abstractions in the Cycle: Infiltration; Runoff Processes	Soil Moisture/Infiltration Capacity in Myers Hollow
Sep 20-24	Geology Field Seminar (no class)
Sep 27-Oct 1	Groundwater	Using Darcy Flow Tubes
Oct 4-8	Water Resources; Controls on Quality	Water Quality
Oct 11-15	Earth Materials: Minerals and Rocks	Identification of Rock-Forming Minerals
Oct 18-22	Earth Materials: Minerals and Rocks	Rock Classification
Oct 25-29	Physical and Chemical Weathering	Differential Rates of Weathering
Nov 1-5	Drainage Basins and Networks	Topographic Maps/Drainage Patterns
Nov 8-12	Stream Processes: Competence and Capacity	Stream Velocity and Sediment Transport
Nov 15-19	Stream Processes and Landforms; Geologic History in Stream Landscapes	Fluvial Landforms and Processes
Nov 22-26	Geologic History of Stream Landscapes	Give Thanks - It's almost over.
Nov 29-Dec 3	Karst Processes and Landforms	Karst Landforms
Dec 6-10	Local Water Issues

Sandra Postel's book Pillar of Sand provides an excellent intersection between water science and society. It raises a very good question in my mind and possibly in yours: Is the science necessary to form personal opinion and public policy? Afterall, science is but one of several different ways of "knowing." How does science inform public policy or personal ethic? Many of the issues addressed in the book involve water policy, new or old, on state, national, or international levels. You may select any of the many issues in Pillar of Sand, but your paper will address the role of science as a way of knowing about the issue and developing policy related to the issue. I will provide examples of what I mean by this as we discuss the paper. Your paper will be 5-10 pages, typewritten, double-spaced, using a standard format with which you are comfortable (this may come from work in your major discipline or your expository writing class). Your paper will be due on Monday, November 1, 1999.

Part of your course grade (30%) will be based on a portfolio that you put together to demonstrate your competence and understanding of basic learning goals of the course. In due time I will provide you with more details on portfolio requirements, ideas on how you might construct your portfolio, a timetable for submitting portfolio items, and an example of how it will be evalauted. For now, consider the following learning goals.

All students in this course should be able to ...

1. demonstrate an understanding of the methods, assumptions, and limits of scientific inquiry

2. demonstrate familiarity with earth materials and maps, foundational concepts, classification schemes, geologic history and processes, and the structure of the Earth

3. demonstrate an understanding of the variability, complexity, and interdependency of processes within geologic systems

4. use their understanding of present geologic systems to make inferences about the past and future behavior of those systems

5. apply their geologic understanding to ethical, societal, and environmental issues

6. use computers as tools in the writing process, in the collection and analysis of data, in computation, and in presentation

7. demonstrate the ability to collect and analyze data both in field and laboratory settings in the styles of the geologic discipline and appropriate to the audience

8. demonstrate problem-solving and critical-thinking skills

9. demonstrate the ability to learn geology independently of the instructor

10. integrate geologic knowledge and methodology with those from other disciplines