COURSEWORK TITLE: INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN

INSTRUCTION TO STUDENTS:

1. Assessment Weight: 65% of the final mark

2.  Delivery Methods and Submission Dates:

(1) Group Task (20%): Situation Analysis

-  Approx. 2,000-3,000 words, as a group assignment (excl. appendices)

-  Situation Analysis will be reviewed in Week 8 as group presentations.

-  The final group report must be shared/submitted through Learning Mall (PDF only) by 9:00 AM, Tuesday, 11th November 2025 (Week 9).

-  A single submission per group, and the filename must be "UPD315_CW2_your group number_your group topic.pdf".

(2) Individual Task (80%): Strategic Management Plan

-  Approx. 2,000-3,000 words, as an individual assignment (excl. appendices)

-  The final individual report must be submitted through Learning Mall (PDF only) by 9:00 AM, Monday, 22nd December 2025 (RW).

-  The filename must be "UPD315_CW2_your student ID_your name.pdf".

* See ‘Output Format’ for the detailed requirements; a late submission penalty applies based on the Learning Mall submission time.

■ Aims and Learning Outcomes

The coursework assessment is related to the aims and learning outcomes of the UPD315 module. Students completing the coursework successfully should:

A. understand the concept of sustainability and be capable of relating it to the issues and practice of urban and regional planning and development

B. comprehend complexities in environmental planning and decision-making processes and procedures

C. use basic instruments, techniques and methods applied in environmental planning and management

D. allocate appropriate environmental assessment methods to development projects, policies and plans

E. communicate environmental land use plans and policies to a wide audience.

■ Overall Assessment

You are a planning consultant commissioned by the Suzhou Municipal Government. You have been responsible for developing an integrated watershed management plan (IWMP) for the catchment area of Yangcheng Lake in Suzhou.

Firstly, you must conduct a pilot study on a holistic approach in analysing the current situation of the catchment area (Group Task). Secondly, using the pilot study results, you need to provide a report outlining an integrated water management plan for the lake's catchment area (Individual Task).

Figure 1 Study Area: Yangcheng Lake, Suzhou

■ Group Task (20%): Situation Analysis

Since the pilot study promotes a holistic approach for the water catchment area, firstly, you should  investigate  the  current   problems  concerning  the  common-pool   resources  and activities in the area. You can consider various urban planning perspectives, including land use inventory, natural environment, tourism, recreation, fishery, agriculture, water supply, industries, housing, and economic development. This, in turn, assists in identifying the scope of the integrated watershed management plan and its policy delivery framework to mitigate the problem.

To investigate broader issues of the local water catchment effectively and efficiently, you will work as a topic group to investigate a particular issue of the current water catchment practice. Then, you will learn from each other by sharing outcomes from different topic groups.

(1) Topic Group Formation

The proposed topic groups are as follows (subject to adjustment):

It is unavoidable that certain overlaps will occur among topic groups, as the topics are interrelated to each other due to the watershed nature. Therefore, it is not necessary to consider an absolute division in analysis scopes among different groups.

When the group investigates the assigned topic, the geographic boundary for the analysis may differ based on the nature of the subject and the group’s resources. The group should determine the appropriate geographical scales to meet the analysis scopes. Choosing the applicable analysis scale and boundary is an important matter to learn in the policy-making process. Some analyses may go beyond the study area; for example, policies at a national level, the pollution sources of the upper stream, etc. Some may be set in the study area boundary based on the data availability, such as demographic trends and census analysis. Others may analyse locational-specific issues, such as factory locations, public transport provision, property price changes, etc.

(2) Output Format

The output format requirements are:

The consistency in output format is critical to ensure interoperability when we share the group reports for further development of IWMP individually. Moreover, the format consistency will reduce your workload when you present your work in class. All team members should be involved in the report writing.

■ Individual Task (80%): Strategic Management Plan

Using the results of the catchment analysis, you are required to identify the issue priority, considering the current geographical and political environments of the local water catchment area. The report should demonstrate an adequate institutional arrangement for integrated water catchment management in the study area.

Your plan must propose key common goals with specific objectives for the catchment area, which can only be achievable through collaborative actions. The objectives should clearly describe the desired future state for all water resources and services within the catchment area. The proposed goals and objectives should bring potential benefits of collaborative planning in the area, including the public, industry, and voluntary sectors. You should involve a  broader  range  of  issues  and  stakeholders  at  various  levels  and  consider  the  water catchment issues as a whole. At the same time, you need to consider whether the proposed visions  can   be  achieved  without  significantly   burdening  the  existing   institutional  and organisational framework. You should:

Once the watershed’s goals and objectives have been defined, you must identify the TWO most prioritised subjects you wish to tackle and develop potential strategies and plans for achieving the vision. Not all strategies can be implemented at the same time with limited resources. Therefore, the strategies must be prioritised according to the catchment's political, economic, and geospatial conditions to identify those that can be implemented in the short term without significant additional resources.

Your final outcome should be focused on the two issues chosen, including the following: