Improving Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Education at Lafayette College Using Watershed-Based Field Studies

Multidisciplinary environmental issues associated with land development and nonpoint source pollution are increasingly addressed on a watershed-integrated level. The so-called "watershed approach" recognizes the interconnected nature of all aspects of environmental quality, including land use and water resources, and the need for sustainable growth, and thus becomes an effective way of connecting the seemingly disparate aspects of environmental engineering for our students. This paper presents a case study of the introductory course in environmental engineering at Lafayette College that we have designed around a rapidly developing 200-km² watershed whose outlet is adjacent to campus. Throughout the course, students take part in a variety of field and laboratory activities designed to give a complete picture of the challenges facing the watershed and to show how civil engineers can contribute to future environmental quality of the watershed. The course attracts students minoring in environmental science as well as civil engineering majors. The success of the course has been indicated by increasing numbers of civil engineering majors specializing in environmental and water resources engineering, and increasing numbers of students conducting independent research projects focusing on the watershed.