Hazard City: Assignments in Applied Geology, 3rd Edition

• Self-contained assignments – Engage students in active problem solving and serve as the basis for class discussion as students apply what they’ve learned to practical situations.

• Ground water contamination – Students use field and laboratory data to prepare a contour map of the water table, determine the direction of ground water flow, and map a contaminated area.

• Volcanic hazard assessment – Researching volcanic hazards, collecting field information, and decision-making are used to determine the potential impact of a volcanic eruption.

• Landslide hazard assessment – Students research the factors that determine landslide hazard at five construction sites and make recommendations for development.

• Earthquake damage assessment – Students explore the effects of earthquakes on buildings and determine the number of people needing emergency housing given an earthquake of specific intensity.

• Flood insurance rate maps – Flood insurance premiums are estimated using a flood insurance rate map, insurance tables, and site characteristics.

• Snowpack monitoring – Students utilize climatic data to estimate variables that are key to flood control and water supply management.

• Coal property evaluation – Potential value of a property is estimated by learning about mining and property evaluation, then applying that knowledge in a resource calculation.

• Landfill siting – Students use maps and geological data to determine if any of five proposed sites meet the requirements of the State Administrative Code for landfill siting.

• Shoreline property assessment – Provides information on four related water-front building sites, and asks students to analyze the risk each faces due to shoreline erosion processes.

• Three sets of assessment questions for each activity – Allow instructors to quickly and easily alter assignments each semester.

• Thoroughly class tested – Refined through testing in both traditional and online classrooms.

• Substantial critical thinking assignments – Require students to gather and analyze real data, participate in real issues, encounter uncertainty, and make decisions.

• Multiple-choice questions – Make grading quick and easy. Solutions are available only in the Instructor’s Manual, helping preserve integrity for assignments in later semesters.