Instructor: Dr. S. Isiorho, Office: SB 236, Phone: 481 6254, (TR 3:00 - 4:15 p.m. SB 209 )

E-mail: isiorho@ipfw.edu. NOTE: Use WebCT Vista for all assignments unless otherwise indicated.

Wetlands are important to society as they provide sanctuary for wildlife and water resources for streams and aquifers and act to mitigate the severity of flooding. With myriad definitions, it becomes difficult to say what is a wetland. Three criteria; hydrology, hydric soil, and hydrophytes are necessary to define an area as a wetland.

The course is designed to give students the basic understanding of wetlands from a hydrologic point of view. The demise of wetland and replacement wetlands are of concern as understanding their relationship to groundwater is still difficult and the link to everyday living is even more remote for many people. Hydrology is the most important factor in the establishment and persistence of wetlands. Students will learn to assess wetland through the understanding of water and solute sources, pathways, and process. The effect of human activities on wetlands' hydrology will be examined through lecture, laboratory, and field experiments/measurements.

Laboratories/field exercises are essential to the course. Students should develop skills in assessing and measuring the structure and function of wetland hydrology; visit several local wetlands (natural and created), and examine the unique flora and fauna of these systems.

Class Project: Students will work in teams to evaluate the wetland along the 'stream' near Walb. The class project will examine the relationship between surface water and groundwater. The class will also do sediment analysis and examination of the flora and fauna of the area.

Field Trips: There will be a minimum of two and a maximum of five field trips during this course and all students are encouraged to go on all trips. The class will visit wetlands and other areas of interest in NE Indiana (Fox Island, Mackay Farm, Fen). Field trips will be on Thursdays during class time except for the special trip to the Dunes and the 'county' trip.
*A special trip to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore will take place Saturday April 21, 2007
(Plan to arrive on campus by 7 am, as we leave for the Dunes at 7:30 am prompt, to return around 6 pm. Dress appropriately for the trip) A one page (double space) report of the trip will be required April 24, by 4 :00 pm. THIS TRIP IS NOT OPTIONAL.

[An optional saturday field trip to Allen County planned for March 31, 2007 (To leave Campus at 9:00 a.m. and return at about 2 p.m.). This trip will depend on the weather condition] Will encourage all to go on this trip. Let me know if you cannot go on this trip by March 2, 2007.

Term Research Project: Students will be required to conduct research on a topic related to this course. The student may choose any suitable topic, but must get the Instructor's approval before starting on the project.

I strongly encourage students to choose a topic before Spring Break (March 5-9, 2007). Students should consult with the instructor weekly concerning their projects and students should submit rough drafts before the final copy is turned in.

Websites, Articles and Handouts

Use the WebCT discussion board for discussions on topics related to the class. Read the discussion board regularly for any news or updates.
Check the syllabus regularly (for new links ) as it is a living document.

Two exams worth 20% (10% per exam) of the final grade. Lab sessions (includes field trip reports) 20% of final grades. Individual term research paper/project, a minimum of ten typed (double space) pages (35% of final grades), to be presented (presentation 10%) (April 24 & 26), will be required April 19, 2007
[You must use this format for your research report]. Reading assignments reports 15%.
(Grading scale > 89% = A; 80-89 % = B; 70-79% = C; 60-69% = D).
I do not curve...what you get is what you get.... please do not ask for extra credit

"If you have a disability and need assistance, special arrangements can be made to accommodate most needs. Contact the Director of Services for Students with Disabilities (Walb, room 113, telephone number 481-6658), as soon as possible to work out the details. Once the Director has provided you with a letter attesting to your needs for modification, bring the letter to me. For more information, please visit the web site for SSD at http://www.ipfw.edu/ssd/ "

Weeks 1 & 2 (Jan. 9, 11, 16, & 18 ...video on Jan 11)
Introduction: Introduction to Geology

Minerals, rocks, and maps

Glacial Geology NE Indiana and Allen County (2 articles)

Weeks 3 - 5 (Jan 23 & 25, Jan 30 & Feb.1,  6 & 8)

Hydrology- Water cycle, surface water and ground water (2 articles)

American Wetlands Our vital link between land and water

Wetlands  -- Definition (IDEM) and types of wetlands EPA definitiion

Wetland Types: Marshes, Swamps, Bogs, Fens

Wetland environment--
        Water quality standard for wetlands (EPA)
        Indiana water standard (working)

Definitions, identifications, delineation, indicators (soil), and classification Chpts. 1, 2, 5 & 8
Slide presentation (Hydric Soil)

There will be 2 to 4 Field trips and all students are encouraged to go on all trips.

Exam 1      Available now (Due March 1 before class)...send your answers through WebCT

Weeks 6 - 8 (Feb 13, 15, 20, 24, 27 through March 1)

Management---- Values, Management and protection, creation and restoration, classification and inventory. Field trip

Constructed wetland Univ. of South Alabama.

Isolated wetlands Builders take advantage of the 2001 Supreme Court ruling (USAToday Dec 2002)

Week 9 SPRING BREAK (MARCH 5-9)

Week 10 (March 13 & 15)

US Wetland Satus (pdf format) from Mid 1970's to mid 1980's

Wetland mapping and Photointerpretation  (map of Allen County)

Use of remote sensing in mapping Monitoring wetland using Landsat TM

Campus (Mackay farm) Field trip

Corps-EPA Issue ... National  Wetlands Mitigation  Action Plan (in pdf format) December 27, 2002

  Exam # 2 (now available to give you more time) will be available at noon March 15, 2007.
                              Your answers are due Noon March 22, 2007 through WebCT email

Weeks 11 - 13 (March 20 & 22, 27,29, through April 3, 5, 10, 12, 17)
The trip to the Dunes will be on a Saturday April 21, 2006 (Leave campus 7:30 a.m. and return ~6p.m.).
NO MAKE UP AND NO EXCUSES FOR THE DUNES TRIP.

Work on your individual Projects....Need to give me weekly feedback on your research project

Project Report in electronic format, Due April 18, by 4:00 p.m.

Weeks 14 & 15 (April 17, 19 & 24, 26)
Presentation of Project Results (April 19, 24, & 26)
 

Questions/Answers/Suggestions... send me email through WebCT

Reading Assignments
Read and summarize each paper (one and one and half pages but not exceeding 2 (double space) pages ) and send your report (summary)
through WebCT by 6:00 p.m. of  the due date.
In your report (summary), include the main points in the articles, how, where, why and if you agree with their
conclusion(s), in other words, include your opinion as a seperate paragraph (your grade will weigh heavily on your opinion).
You will need Acrobat reader to see most of the articles because they are in Portable Document Format (PDF).
Download a free acrobat reader if you do not have it in your system.

     Characteristics of Fine-Grained Soils & Glacial Deposits in NE Indiana (PDF) by Tony Fleming, Field Note, 1996. Due January 18, 2007

    Origin and Hydrogeologic significance of wetlands in the interlobate region of northwestern Allen County, Indiana
        (PDF)  by Tony Fleming in Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science Due January 25, 2007 
 
     Isolated Wetlands and water quality  (PDF) by Dennis F. Whigham and Thomas E. Jordan. Due Feb. 1, 2007

     Isolated wetland and their functions (PDF) by Scott G. Leibowitz  Due Feb.  8, 2007

    Vernal pools and the concept of isolated wetlands (PDF) by Paul H. Zedler.  Due Feb. 22, 2007

     Characterizing Hydrology and the importance of ground-water discharge in natural and constructed wetlands(PDF)
        by Hunt et. al, 1999. Due March 1, 2007

     Comparisons of water and peat chemistries (PDF) of a post-harvested and undisturbed peatland with relevance
        to restoration.by Wind-Mulder and Vitz. Due March 15, 2007

      Nutrients in a Playa Wetland receiving Wastewater (PDF) by Pezzolesi et. al..Due March 22, 2007

     The role of wetlands in the hydrologic cycle by  (PDF) by A. Bullock , & M. Acreman. Due March 29, 2007

     Effects of measurement frequency .... (PDF) by P. W. Shaffer1, C. A.Cole2, M. E. Kentula & R. P. Brooks. Due April 5, 2007

    Bonus Assignment ...   "Water quality effluent from a recirculating, Vertical-flow, Constructed Wettland" by A. Garcia-Perz, B. Grant,
    & M. Harrison. Small Flows Quarterly, Fall 2006 Vol., 7, no. 4. p 34-38.  Due April10, 2007. You can make a copy from my journal if interested
    Also, you should request and get a copy before March 30, 2007.

Water grain size soil classification. Water,           sediment,         and        porosity        and others

Wetland Class Notes

Something to read (health and water)

EPA wetlands site

Monitoring wetland using Landsat TM

To identify Hydric soils

Wetlands & drainage USDA

  Water type and Plant Species

 Wetland Science Institute

  Restoration

Assessment

Clean Water act: Definition of "Waters of the United States"

Watch where you're putting the snow CBS News Feb. 20, 2003

Check here as New Materials or links will be added during the semester
The Hydrologic Cycle
USGS Surface runoff (This will be useful in the is course)

Students turn swamp (wetland) into a class room

Some pictures of the earth from Astronauts...lots of pictures

Hydric Soils slides
Wetland Classifcation slides
Salt and wetlands March 18, 2005

Short videos Space, Time, and Big Ideas

All assignments must be submitted through WebCT  and check your grade book always.

New link  USDA, April 2007

Teaching Students the act of presentation GSA ppt2007

Updated December 22, 2006