Water is the most important natural resource in the world.  It is a necessity of life on earth and has been at the heart of intense conflicts throughout human history.  This course, designed as a general education course for Category C2 or C3, integrates the basic concepts presented in Physical Geology and Hydrogeology, but uses political and environmental conflicts over water resources as the foundation for learning.  Examples will be drawn from around the world (Aswan High Dam in Africa, the Aral Sea in Asia, the Colorado River in the Western United States, to name a few) as well as our own backyard (Abandoned Mine Drainage in the Schuylkill Watershed).  The environmental and political aspects of the course will appeal to a wide variety of  students from many different disciplines.  This course will provide a foundation of knowledge for understanding water resources issues worldwide. 

This course is an introduction to the study of hydrology, geology, and scientific principles from the perspective of water as a natural resource. Both surface and subsurface hydrogeological processes are examined in an example-oriented teaching method that incorporates an evaluation of the political and environmental ramifications of each situation. This course does not satisfy major, concomitant, or specialization requirements for Secondary Education and/or Liberal Arts and Sciences majors.