About this Course

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Water is important to all of us. Water connects people through place, memory, and community. But in places where water is scarce, like the Western United States, water can also be contentious and divisive. How then do we overcome the challenges associated with increased water scarcity while honoring the diverse perspectives of people who rely on shared water? 
In this course, you will learn about water and climate in the Western United States and join a community of thousands of learners to gain insight into the major legal, political, and cultural issues that make water so complex in the region.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 23 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

Understand the unique aspects of water supply and demand issues in the western US and how water systems have adapted to them.
Explain historical and scientific issues around water management in the western US.
Recognize major sources of water supplies in the western US and the impact of individual “water footprints."
Describe some of the ways in which scientists study research questions related to water and climate in the western US.

Skills you will gain

Western United States (US)
Colorado River
Sustainability
Climate Change
Water

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 23 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Eric Gordon

Former Managing Director, Western Water Assessment

University of Colorado Boulder

2,837 Learners

1 Course

Anne U. Gold

Senior Associate Scientist and Director CIRES Education & Outreach Program

Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

6,170 Learners

2 Courses

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week1

Week 1

4 hours to complete

Course Introduction

4 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 37 min), 5 readings

Week2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

History, Politics, and Culture of Water Development in the Western US

3 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 74 min), 4 readings, 2 quizzes

6 videos

History and Development of Water in the West6mNative American Tribes and Water11mWater Storage and Delivery Infrastructure12mPrior Appropriation16mInterstate Water Conflicts and Agreements10mEnvironmental Flows and the Endangered Species Act16m

4 readings

[OPTIONAL] Report on the Lands of the Arid Region of the United States10m[OPTIONAL] Colorado River Basin Ten Tribes Partnership Tribal Water Study20m[OPTIONAL] The Emerging Tribal Role in the Colorado River Basin15m[OPTIONAL] Suggestions for further reading10m

2 practice exercises

History, Politics, and Culture Quiz25mWater Footprint Challenge Part 125m

Week3

Week 3

5 hours to complete

Hydrology, Water Demand, and Climate in the Western US

5 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 104 min), 10 readings, 2 quizzes

8 videos

Climate in the Western US and Water Resources14mWater Quality, Aquatic Habitat, and Drinking Water10mGroundwater Resources11mWatershed Impacts13mRiver and Flash Flooding13mImpacts of Climate Change in the Interior West12mWater Demand for Agriculture13mWater Demand for Urban Areas14m

10 readings

[OPTIONAL] Assessment of Climate Change in the Southwestern United States10m[OPTIONAL] Climate Change in Colorado: A Synthesis to Support Water Resources Management and Adaptation10m[OPTIONAL] Colorado Climate Change Vulnerability Study10m[OPTIONAL] Water to Supply the Land: Irrigated Agriculture in the Colorado River Basin20m[OPTIONAL] Municipal Deliveries of Colorado River Basin Water20m[OPTIONAL] The twenty-first century Colorado River hot drought and implications for the future20m[OPTIONAL] When is Drought Not a Drought? Drought, Aridification, and the “New Normal”15m[OPTIONAL] Climate Change and the Colorado River: What We Already Know15m[OPTIONAL] New House, New Paradigm: A Model for How to Plan, Build, and Live Water-Smart20m[OPTIONAL] Understanding California’s Groundwater20m

2 practice exercises

Hydrology, Water Demand, and Climate Quiz25mWater Footprint Challenge Part 220m

Week4

Week 4

5 hours to complete

Case Study: The Colorado River Basin

The Colorado River is a vital source of drinking water for nearly 40 million people and supplies countless farms across a parched landscape. Cutting through nearly 1,500 miles of mountains and deserts, the Colorado's small size belies the fact that it is one of the most intensively managed and litigated rivers in the world. That makes this river perfect for exploring many of the concepts we've covered already in our course.

5 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 58 min), 7 readings, 2 quizzes

5 videos

Geographic and Physical Overview of the Colorado River Basin6mHistory of Development of the Colorado River Basin7mClimate and the Colorado River Basin: Past, Present, and Future14mThe Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study15mPhysical Attributes of the Colorado River and Experimental Flows in the Grand Canyon13m

7 readings

[OPTIONAL] Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study10m[OPTIONAL] The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons10m[OPTIONAL] Water is For Fighting Over and Other Myths about Water in the West1h[OPTIONAL] Downriver: Into the Future of Water in the West1h[OPTIONAL] Colorado River Drought Contingency Plans10m[OPTIONAL] West wrestles with Colorado River “grand bargain” as changing climate depletes water governed by 1922 compact10m[OPTIONAL] First-ever mandatory water cutbacks will kick in next year along the Colorado River10m

2 practice exercises

Colorado River Basin Quiz25mWater Footprint Challenge Part 325m

Reviews

4.8

8 reviews

5 stars
77.77%
4 stars
22.22%

TOP REVIEWS FROM WATER IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES

by BFAug 14, 2020

Thank you. Great course. (Modules 1 and 5 worth the price of admission alone. Very good !)

by CSFeb 16, 2021

Great class. Gives real insights into all the issues related to water in the western United States.

by FASep 19, 2020

It's a great course on Water in the Western United States

by JSJan 12, 2020

This is an excellent course and a good overview of the situation. I would like to see more classes on this kind of topic.

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

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Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
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What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
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Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

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Water in the Western United States