Lesson 1Geomorphological Hazards: Flooding in Lowlands, Slope Instability, Gully Erosion, and Types of Mass MovementsThis part looks at geomorphological hazards such as floods, landslides, gully erosion, and mass movements that affect Ugandan communities. Students will connect causes like heavy rains, terrain features, and farming practices to mapping hazards, assessing risks, and planning ways to reduce them.
Zoning floodplains and mapping inundationFactors and signs of slope instabilityStarting gullies and headcut movementTypes of landslides and mass movementsRainfall thresholds and triggering eventsMapping hazards and planning mitigationLesson 2Analysis of Relief and Slopes: Hillshading, Slope Gradient, Aspect, and Effects on Erosion and LandslidesThis part covers digital elevation models, hillshading, slope, and aspect analysis to understand relief in Ugandan terrains. Learners will link terrain measures to erosion, landslide risks, drainage patterns, and planning infrastructure in different landforms like the Rwenzori slopes.
Sources and quality of elevation dataHillshade visualisation and reading landformsClasses and mapping of slope gradientsAspect patterns and microclimate effectsTopographic controls on erosion ratesSlope thresholds for landslide hazardsLesson 3Morphology of River Basins and Drainage Patterns: Dendritic, Trellis, Radial, and Antecedent SystemsThis part examines the shape, hierarchy, and patterns of drainage basins like those of the Nile in Uganda, including dendritic, trellis, and radial systems. Students will relate drainage shapes to rock types, structures, relief, and long-term landscape changes.
Watershed boundaries and stream orderDendritic, trellis, radial, and parallel patternsStructural and rock controls on drainageLongitudinal profiles and knickpointsBasin shape, relief, and water responseEvolution of drainage and river captureLesson 4Geological Mapping and Bedrock Units: Rock Types, Stratigraphy, Structural Controls on TopographyThis part introduces mapping bedrock units in Uganda, focusing on rock types, layering, and structural features. Learners will interpret how folds, faults, and rock strength shape topography, drainage, and distribution of resources or hazards like in the Karamoja region.
Reading geological maps and legendsRock units and contrasts in strengthStratigraphic sequences and key contactsFaults, folds, and fracture networksStructural control on ridges and valleysLinking bedrock to resources and hazardsLesson 5Fluvial Processes: Channel Dynamics, Sediment Transport, Deposition, River Meandering and AvulsionThis part covers river processes that shape channels in Uganda, including flow patterns, sediment movement, and bar formation. Learners will analyse meandering, braiding, avulsion, and floodplain building, linking processes to channel patterns and management for sustainable use.
Flow regimes and channel hydraulicsBedload, suspended load, and wash loadChannel patterns: straight, meandering, braidedPoint bars, levees, and overbank depositsMeander migration and cutoff formationAvulsion, anabranching, and channel managementLesson 6Climate Controls on Hydrology: Rainfall Patterns, Seasonality, Evapotranspiration, and Drought IndicesThis part explains how atmospheric patterns, moisture sources, and ground conditions control rainfall, runoff, evapotranspiration, and drought in Uganda. Learners will relate climate measures to water regimes and availability in regions like the dry north.
Global circulation and moisture transportSeasonality and intensity of rainfall patternsPotential and actual evapotranspirationSoil moisture balance and runoff responseDrought indices and hydrologic droughtClimate variability and change impactsLesson 7Practical Datasets and Sources: National Geological Surveys, Global DEMs (SRTM, ASTER), Map Repositories, and Climate Data (CRU, CHIRPS)This part presents key open datasets for physical geography and geology relevant to Uganda, including DEMs, geological maps, and climate products. Learners will evaluate resolution, accuracy, and metadata, and practice combining sources for analysing regional landscapes.
Global and regional DEM productsNational geological survey map portalsOnline geological map repositoriesGridded climate datasets and indicesData resolution, accuracy, and metadataIntegrating multi-source datasets in GISLesson 8Remote Sensing Basics for Physical Features: Using Satellite Images to Identify Landforms, River Channels, and Vegetation CoverThis part introduces satellite sensors, resolutions, and spectral bands for mapping physical features in Uganda. Students will learn to interpret images for landforms, drainage, vegetation, and soil moisture, and recognise common processing issues and limits.
Optical vs radar sensors and resolutionsSpectral signatures of water, soil, and rockIdentifying major landforms from imageryMapping river channels and floodplainsVegetation indices and canopy conditionCommon image corrections and artifactsLesson 9Surficial Deposits and Soils: Alluvium, Colluvium, Weathered Bedrock, Soil Classification and FertilityThis part examines surface deposits and soils in Uganda, including alluvium, colluvium, and weathered bedrock. Students will relate parent materials, texture, and structure to soil types, fertility, drainage, and suitability for farming across different landscapes.
Alluvial, colluvial, and residual materialsWeathering profiles and regolith formationSoil horizons, texture, and structureMajor soil classification systemsSoil fertility, nutrients, and limitationsSoil erosion risk and conservation needs
