The Operative Hydrology module provides basic knowledge on the water cycle, in order to quantitatively estimate hydrological variables using deterministic and statistical methods. Students acquire common methodological tools to evaluate the availability of water resources, with particular attention to the production of renewable energy through hydropower.

Basic knowledge of Probability and Statistics. Knowledge of differential and integral calculus. Knowledge of Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics.

Module: Operative Hydrology Introduction The water cycle: processes and quantities. 1) Statistical estimation of the hydrological variables (18 hours) Definition of project background and objectives: basic concepts of risk and return period definition. Statistical estimation of project hydrological variables: choice of the probability distribution, preliminary verification, parameter estimation, adaptation tests. Transformation of point rainfall to areal rainfall: Intensity-Duration-Frequency curves. Criteria for spatial mapping of hydrological variables. 2) Water and soil (18 hours) Water in unsaturated soil: definition of the main drivers; infiltration and water content; water retention curves. Models for the assessment of infiltration capacity: potential and real infiltration; Horton model. Surface runoff generation. SCS-Curve Number method. Modeling the formation of surface runoff at basin scale (net precipitation). 3) Rainfall-runoff models (12 hours) River basin morphology. Planimetric and altimetric configurations of watersheds and their characteristic hydrological variables, ipsographic curve, quantitative morphological analysis of river networks. Formation of floods modelling through linear models. Unit hydrograph theory (IUH): meaning of the kinematic model (time-area response hydropgraph). Estimate of the characteristic time scales (time of concentration and delay). Application of unit hydrograph to derive direct runoff hydrograph by using discrete form of convolution. 4) Availability of water resources (12 hours) Water resource for hydroelectric power production: flow duration curves; ecological flows and minimum environmental flows. Radiative balance and potential evapotranspiration. Simplified estimation methods based on solar radiation and air temperature.

Students, divided into groups of about 3-4 people, will perform numerical exercises. These exercises will be collected in reports to be presented during the exam. Furthermore, students, divided into groups of 3-4 people, will be asked to carry out a research on a topic of their choice concerning "Water Science". This research will be carried out on the basis of # 1 scientific article relevant to the chosen topic. Using the Scopus or Web of Science scientific databases, each group will have to select a scientific article (article in English and published in an international scientific journal) and describe it in an oral presentation to the teachers and the colleagues. Each presentation will last 12 minutes (to which 3 minutes will be added for questions) and will follow the structure of the selected scientific article (description of the problem, materials and methods, results and conclusions). The evaluation of the presentation will be assigned by the professors with a score ranging from -1 to +2 points (expressed in thirtieths). A score equal to -1 will be assigned to those who do not present the aforementioned research. This score will be applied to all students enrolled in the course for the current academic year and regardless of the frequency year. Any score obtained in the past years can be recovered, following the student's choice. The score of the research will contribute to the final mark.

Module: Operative Hydrology Maione, Moisello, Elementi di statistica per l'idrologia, La Goliardica Pavese , 1993. Maione, Le piene fluviali, La Goliardica Pavese, 1995. Handouts and slides available on the PoliTo portal and on the website www.idrologia.polito.it/didattica/ Other texts: N.T. Kottegoda and R. Rosso. Statistics, probability and reliability methods for civil and environmental engineers. McGraw-Hill, New York, 1997. Bras, Hydrology - An introduction to hydrologic science, Addison-Wesley, 1990 Maidment, Handbook of applied hydrology, Mc Graw-Hill, 1992.

Exam: Written test;

Expected learning outcomes Ability to describe the main hydrological processes at the catchment scale Understanding of the theoretical and practical concepts presented during the course Application of the proposed mathematical methods and tools. Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam The learning assessment for the Operative Hydrology module will take place in the form of a written exam lasting two hours and consisting of two calculation exercises and three theoretical questions. During the exam it will be possible to keep and consult the exercise report carried out during the course. The results of the exam will be communicated on the university portal, along with the date on which students will have the possibility to view the exam and request clarifications. The final mark will be calculated as the arithmetic mean of the two module marks. The final mark of the integrated teaching course will be calculated as the arithmetic average of the two individual module marks. The score obtained during the presentation of the research relating to the scientific article will be arithmetically added to this average.

In addition to the message sent by the online system, students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to directly inform the professor in charge of the course about the special arrangements for the exam that have been agreed with the Special Needs Unit. The professor has to be informed at least one week before the beginning of the examination session in order to provide students with the most suitable arrangements for each specific type of exam.