1G473/573 ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGYPOLICIES AND PROCEDURESSpring Term 2001 - Western Oregon University3 CR TR 3:30-5:30 PM Rooms 218/103 Natural Sciences Bldg.INSTRUCTOR: Dr. S. Taylor OFFICE: RM 210 Natural Sciences BldgOFFICE HOURS: M W 1-3 P.M.; PHONE: (w) 838-8398 (h) 541-753-2255WEB SITE: www.wou.edu/taylor E-MAIL: [email protected] DESCRIPTION:This course serves as an upper division introduction to environmental geology. The emphasis is placedon the technical aspects of human interaction with near-surface environments of the Earth. The range oftopics include an overview of environmental and land-use regulations, geomorphic hazards (soil erosion,flooding, mass wasting, landslide, debris flow, coastal erosion), tectonic hazards (earthquakes, tsunamis,ground disturbance, volcanic eruptions), water resource issues (source, supply and quality), miningimpacts, and waste management.TEXT:Keller, E.A., 2000, Environmental Geology 8th Edition: Prentice Hall, 562 pages.ADDITIONAL READING MATERIALS:Journal articles and text readings, to be provided by the instructor.CLASS WEB SITE:A comprehensive set of instructor class notes will be available for download via the internet. The classweb site is at URL http://www.wou.edu/taylor ... and follow the links to the "G473" home page. The classnotes are available as Adobe Acrobat Reader files (*.pdf file). Acrobat Reader is free and is installed onmany campus PC's. For home installation, Acrobat Reader is also available for download at the class website, but you will be responsible for properly installing the software (and will do so at your own risk!). These notes may be freely printed at any campus internet station (e.g. ITC Bldg - Student Lab, Library,local department computer labs). The notes are in outline form and are very comprehensive. "ExamStudy Guides" will also be posted on the class web site as the term progresses.FIELD TRIP(S):The following field trips are planned for the class:(1) OSU Geosciences Seminar Series, Corvallis, Thursday April 5, 2001. The class will depart from WOUat 3:15 PM, the presentation starts at 4:00 PM in Rm 108 Wilkinson Hall.(2) Coffin Butte Landfill near Corvallis on Thursday April 19, 2001. The class will depart from WOU at 2:30PM and should return by 5:30 at the latest. Please plan accordingly.(3) City of Independence Public Works (city well field and sewage sludge ponds) on Tuesday April 24,2001. Meet at regular class time (3:30).(4) Tentative - An industrial contamination (groundwater and soil) site in the Monmouth-Independencearea. This will likely meet at the regular class time ... but to be announced.The University policy on field trips is that attendees must pay out-of-pocket for vehicle rental and mileagecosts. Please be aware that additional class expenses will be required for field trips, these are typicallycharged administratively to student accounts (~ $5-10 range max.). Given the close proximity of the classfield trips, we may also opt for use of personal vehicles.2ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY SPEAKER SERIES:A series of outside speakers from industry and government have been scheduled as part of the class. The speaker series is designed to both enhance the public visibility of the geology program at WesternOregon University, and to encourage student interaction with working professionals in the environmentalindustry. A majority of outside speakers will present during class time, either in the Natural SciencesBuilding or perhaps one of the new meeting rooms in Hamersly Library. The presentations will generallybegin at 4:00 PM with Dr. Taylor providing a "warm-up act" from 3:30 - 4:00. Specific times and locationsof seminars will be announced as plans are finalized.EVALUATIONS AND EXPECTATIONS:Student performance will be evaluated on the basis of oral presentations, lab exercises, writing assignments, andtwo (2) exams. The following is a breakdown of evaluation points and letter grades:Mid-Term Exam 125 pts 31%Final Exam 125 pts 31%Writing Assignments (5 x 10 pts) 50 pts 13%Oral Presentation 40 pts 10%Lab Exercises (~3-4 exercises TBA) 60 pts 15%___________________________Total 400 pts 100%Final Grading Scale_______________________________________________________________Percent Range Letter Percent Range Letterof Total Points Grade of Total Points Grade_______________________________________________________________94-100% A 77-79% C+90-94% A- 73-76% C87-89% B+ 70-72% C-83-86% B 67-69% D+80-82% B- 63-66% D60-62% D-<60% F_______________________________________________________________Writing AssignmentsStudents are required to write a 300-500 word (1-2 typed pages) summary for each of the presentations byoutside speakers. The presentations address important aspects of the regional environmental geology inOregon. This exercise is designed to enhance the writing skills of students and is an excellent method of exampreparation.A variety of student writing guides are available on the class web site. The summaries should be neatly word-processed, double spaced, with 1 inch margins, and checked for spelling errors with a "spell checker" tool. Miss-spellled words will not be tolerated. Save your word-processing files as you may be required to modify and editthe summaries. Use the following format:3Speaker SummaryTitle of PresentationSpeaker / OrganizationStudent Name / DateParagraph 1 - Statement(s) of the environmental problem(s) / issue(s).The first sentence of paragraph 1 should be a succinct topic sentence that provides a goodoverview of "who, what, where, when" as related to the main points of the speakerpresentation.Paragraph 2 - Social costs / human significance of the described environmental problem.Paragraph 3 - Methods, techniques, or regulations employed to mitigate the environmental problem(methods / techniques include those recommended or those actively in place).Paragraph 4 - Concluding paragraph / student critique of the speaker and regional relevance of thedescribed environmental problem.All Students must adhere to the prescribed organization of the summary. Deviation from thescheme will result in significant point loss.Please Note: Some speakers may directly address the content of these paragraphs, and some may not. If not, itwill be your job as the audience to ask good questions and fill in the content you will need to puttogether your summaries. Don't be afraid to ask good questions and get the information you needto put together a well thought-out