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Designing LTPBR - Course Syllabus

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Catalog Description

This course provides an introduction to designing Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration of Riverscapes. Students will design their own LTPBR restoration projects at a site of their choosing.

TitleDesign of Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration of Riverscapes
Course NumberWATS 5623
Semester OfferedSpring
Credits1.0 credit (1.5 CEU)
LevelsGraduate / Undergraduate
ScheduleOnline Lecture
Cross-listedCEWA 5623

Schedule

Spring 2026 - Designing LTPBR

ClassTimeDaysDatesInstructor
Designing LTPBR1:30–4:15 pmTuesdaysMar 17, 24, & 31, 2026Joe Wheaton

Join by Zoom

Meeting ID: 851 1572 0965; Passcode: 846967

Course materials and assignments will be available on Canvas the week before the course starts.
Students are expected to watch pre-recorded lectures and complete readings before discussion sessions.

Discussion Session Schedule:

Meeting DateModulesTopics
3/17/20264.1Intro to Design Process; Leading Design with Recovery Potential
3/24/20264.2Design Standards of Practice @ Complex-Scale; Learning to Design @ Structure-Scale
3/31/20264.3Field Design Documentation; Designing at Your Own Riverscape

This course is based on Module 4 of the self-paced materials.

Fees

  • Matriculated Students: current USU tuition rates for 1 credit (no additional course fee)

  • Continuing Education Students: $320 (Includes $45 CEU processing fee)

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, students will:

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

Instructor

Joe Wheaton, Professor of Riverscapes, Utah State University
Joe Wheaton, Professor of Riverscapes, Utah State University

Joe’s Office Hours: Monday 13:00–14:00 MT on Google Meet

To contact your instructor, please use Canvas discussion boards or direct messaging.

Course Resources

You can Design very Fast

Using QRiS, you can get yourself from nothing to a design very fast as I show you in the video below. But why are you specifying what to put where the way you are? What are you trying to accomplish? Hopefully you find the video reassuring in that you can do the mechanics of design, but unsatisfying for addressing your curosities about why. That is hoepfully motivation for taking this class.

Content

Chapter 4 LT-PBR Manual

Chapter 4 of LTPBR Design Manual is on PALS and BDAs

Chapter 5 LT-PBR Manual

Chapter 5 of LTPBR Design Manual covers Design

Module 4 Self-Paced Modules

These are the pre-recroded lectures and readings for Module 4

Course Textbooks

LT-PBR Manual

The 2019 Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration of Riverscapes Design Manual (Free/Required). Focus on Chapter 4 & 5 of the Design Manual.

Pocket Guide

A LTPBR Pocket Guide to take with you into the field (Optional)

Focus on Chapters 4 and 5 of the Design Manual.

Grading

GradeRange
A93–100%
A-90–92.9%
B+87–89.9%
B83–86.9%
B-80–82.9%
C+77–79.9%
C73–76.9%
C-70–72.9%
D+67–69.9%
D60–66.9%
Fbelow 60%

Points are awarded for quizzes and assessed assignments as posted on Canvas.

University Policies

See Canvas for University Policies.