Water resources and management

Water quality and quantity are essential for human wellbeing. The preservation of the ecosystem services and biodiversity of lakes, streams and rivers, and groundwater is fundamental to the provisioning of water as a resource. Water Resources and Management aims at planning, developing, monitoring and improving both the quality and quantity of water resources, while at the same time assuring aquatic ecosystem health. Sustainable water management in a rapidly changing world and encroachment of the societal footprint on catchments is an on-going challenge, and impacts all parts of the water cycle, even including glaciers and permafrost, and related ecosystem services.

This specialization will cover the main pillars of water resources and their management, including engineering and science critical to the sustainable use and preservation of the ecosystems that provide water as a resource.

Course content

This specialization covers the main pillars of water resources and their management:

  • Hydrology, hydraulics, limnology, snow
  • Water quality
  • Risk, renaturation, economical aspects

Link to list of courses (study plan – specialization folder)

Professional prospects

  • Companies in environmental and civil engineering
  • Land & municipality management, public administrations
  • International companies and institutions
  • Research institutes: e.g. WSL, EAWAG, Agroscope