WATS 6900 §5 – Syllabus

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Catalog Description

This course introduces students to designing Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration (LTPBR) projects. Students will design their own restoration projects for a site of their choice.

Title	Design of Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration of Riverscapes
Semester Offered	Spring
Credits	1.0 Credit hour (1.5 CEU)
Levels	Graduate/Undergraduate
Schedule	Hybrid Face-to-Face Lecture
Cross-listed	CEWA 5700 (becomes WATS/CEWA 5623 in 2022)

← Back to Spring 2021 LTPBR Courses

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Schedule

Spring 2021 – Design LTPBR

• Matriculated: ST:DES LOWTEC PRCBAS REST RIV - 12083 - WATS 6900 - 005
• Non-Matriculated: 26397 - CEWA 5700 - LB4

Class	Time	Days	Where	Dates	Instructors
Designing LTPBR	1:30–3:30 pm	Tuesdays	Zoom	Mar 30, Apr 6, Apr 13, 2021	Joseph Wheaton, Stephen Bennett, Scott Shahverdian
Design Field Trip	8:30 am–5:30 pm	Saturday	Field Trip	Apr 10, 2021	Same instructors as above

Canvas Link
Canvas Course Page

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Class Meetings

Date	Modules	Topics
Mar 30	1, 2	Intro to Design Process, Leading Design with Recovery Potential
Apr 6	3, 4	Design Standards of Practice @ Complex Scale, Learning to Design @ Structure Scale
Apr 10	Field	Optional field trip design project
Apr 13	5, 6	Field Design Documentation, Applying Design to Your Own Riverscape

This course is based on Module 4 of the self-paced materials.
Module 4 – Design (slides, videos, exercises)

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Fees

• Matriculated Students: pay standard USU tuition (details).
• Continuing Education: $265.79 (register here)

Register for Module 4 – Design

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Course Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Develop familiarity with the core components of the LTPBR design process.
2. Understand the difference between engineering-based design and LTPBR design.
3. Create a complete LTPBR field design for a first-phase restoration of an impaired riverscape.
4. Learn how to use a zone of influence to convey design hypotheses associated with structural forcing.
5. Assess the degree of uplift of a proposed design (as a proportion of recovery potential) and estimate the phases and timeline to full recovery.

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Instructors

• Joseph Wheaton

  • Website
  • Associate Professor of Riverscapes
  • Anabranch Solutions
  • Office Hours: Wednesdays 12–1 pm (Zoom) or by appointment

• Stephen Bennett

  • ResearchGate
  • Ecologist, USU Adjunct Professor
  • Anabranch Solutions
  • Office Hours: By appointment

• Scott Shahverdian

  • ResearchGate
  • Fluvial Geomorphologist
  • Anabranch Solutions
  • Office Hours: By appointment

Group Office Hours: Wednesdays 12–1 pm via Zoom

Please use Canvas for all instructor communication.

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Instructor Affiliations

• USU Watershed Sciences
• Anabranch Solutions
• Eco-Logical Research

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Course Resources

Course materials include:

• Slides (PDFs)

• Recorded lectures (YouTube)

• Readings from the Design Manual or Pocket Guide

• Canvas for assignments, grading, and rubrics

• Canvas Course Page

• Module 4 – Design

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Course Textbooks

Mandatory Texts

• Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration of Riverscapes: Design Manual (PDF, Amazon, BookBaby)
• Pocket Field Guide (PDF, waterproof version)

Focus chapters: Chapter 4 and Chapter 5.

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Grading

Grade	Range
A	93–100%
A-	90–93%
B+	87–90%
B	83–87%
B-	80–83%
C+	77–80%
C	73–77%
C-	70–73%
D+	67–70%
D	60–67%
F	below 60%

Rubrics and evaluation details are provided in Canvas.

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University Policies

This course follows all USU academic policies, including:

• Attendance & Excused Absences
• Academic Integrity
• Academic Freedom & Responsibilities
• Withdrawal/Incompletes
• Disability Resources
• Mental Health & SafeUT
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

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Mental Health & Student Wellbeing

USU encourages all students to use the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and the SafeUT App for 24/7 confidential help.

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