Engineering Hydrology Project

Overview

In the class project, student teams work on a hydrologic analysis, with a focus on one hydrologic
variable of interest. You will be using data resources and analysis techniques covered in the
lectures and homework applied to a real-world investigation or design scenario. The use of the
HEC-HMS model (or other modeling frameworks) is encouraged. This project is open ended.
Please see the provided examples for potential inspiration. Additional innovative ideas are
welcome. I am expecting you to come talk with me about your potential project topics.
Project Teams
Project teams (of two or three) will be self-selected unless it becomes clear it would be helpful
to have a process for paring up. In the project planning and execution, you will be required to
clearly identify the division of labor.

Project Proposal Rubric
This proposal should be written as a formal memo and should logically layout the problem and
your approach.
Please include:
An introduction with your engineering or science question, the hydrologic variable of
interest, and why the work is needed.
A site and event description that presents the location of the project area, the size of the
project area, and what type of hydrologic response you seek to study.
The methods you expect to employ. Some speculation is okay here as we have not
covered many of the methods yet. You are expected to elevate your analysis with the use
of a model and or GIS analysis. In this section also identify your data needs and potential
sources of that data.
The expected results describe what you will deliver and define the scope.
A timeline and workflow with goals for completion of the project.
A work plan that clearly communicates the distribution of labor. Please include
calculation and writing reviews in the timeline and work plan.
Format: 1 to 2 page memo, single-spaced, minimum 12 point font and 1 inch margins, include a
site map. Remember to cite sources.

Project Draft Rubric
This project should be written as a formal report with the addition of a one-page memo
addressing your progress, challenges, and future work for the remainder of the semester. Please
be sure to address your proposed timeline and your progress at the time of the update.
Please follow the Final draft formatting and instructions. The introduction, site description, and
methods sections should be fully drafted. The remaining sections may be simply commented as
in progress. The more that you have completed the more feedback I can give you.

Final Report Guide and Rubric
Required Report Components:
• Introduction with your engineering or science question, the hydrologic variable of
interest, why the work is needed.
• Site and event description that presents the location of the project area, the size of the
project area, and what type of hydrologic response you seek to study.
• Methods. Articulate what you did clearly and briefly so that someone could replicate you
work. Please put reference materials (tables, iso-maps, etc.) and sample calculations in an
appendix described below.
• Results and discussion: report and discuss the outcomes of your analysis. This is where
you should make meaning of your results and present interpretations of their meaning.
• Conclusions and/or engineering recommendations: Summarize the main point of your
project and the important findings or design recommendations.
• Works cited: cite data sources, site description sources, and technical or scientific
literature used.
• Appendix: Add any extemporaneous information need to complete calculations and
clearly present the methods but unwieldy or too long for the narrative format. Tables and
figures should have captions, but no narrative is required.
Formatting:
There is no single format required. I will list some general expectations:
• A title page
• Page numbers
• Captions on all tables and figures
• A use of standard citations
• Intuitive headings for sections and subsections to guide the reader.
Additional formalities (tables of contents, list of table and figures, etc.) may elevate your report
but are not necessary.

Final poster
Objective: To share your final project in the form of an academic poster. Presentations will be
10-12 minutes with 2-3 minutes for questions. Your main objective is to communicate the story
of your work; Why it was important or interesting, how you completed it, and what you learned
and/or recommended.
Methods: Posters should be made in power point on a single slide that is 48 in by 36 in. I
recommend then printing this slide to a PDF, it uploading to Prezi, and using the zoom animation
to guide the audience through your story. Using screen grabs on slides to do the same thing is
okay too. Look at this reference for some criteria to consider in building your poster.
https://prezi.com/pcovkdvojahz/creating-an-academic-poster/. Please email me the poster as a
PDF and the Prezi link an hour prior to the beginning of class for which you are presenting