Hydrogeology Course

Lesson 1 • Basic Groundwater Terminology

Introduces porosity, permeability, hydraulic head, and related terms. Ensures consistent use of technical language in all later modules.

Lesson 2 • The Hydrologic Cycle

Examines water movement through atmosphere, surface, and subsurface. Establishes the mass-balance framework used throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Geological Controls on Groundwater

Covers rock and sediment types that host or impede groundwater. Links lithology and structure to subsurface flow behavior.

Lesson 1 • Hydraulic Conductivity and Permeability

Derives Darcy's Law and defines hydraulic conductivity for saturated media. Establishes the core flow equation applied in all pumping and modeling chapters.

Lesson 2 • Unsaturated Zone Properties

Introduces capillary pressure, matric suction, and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. Links vadose zone behavior to recharge estimation covered later.

Lesson 3 • Storativity and Specific Storage

Explains elastic storage in confined aquifers and gravity drainage in unconfined systems. Differentiates storativity from specific yield for transient analysis.

Lesson 4 • Transmissivity and Aquifer Thickness

Defines transmissivity as the product of conductivity and saturated thickness. Prepares students for well hydraulics and aquifer test interpretation.

Lesson 1 • Regional Groundwater Flow Systems

Describes local, intermediate, and regional flow systems following Toth's conceptual model. Connects topography and geology to large-scale flow patterns.

Lesson 2 • Groundwater and Surface Water Interaction

Analyzes gaining and losing stream conditions and hyporheic exchange. Provides context for integrated water resource management discussed later.

Lesson 3 • Flow Net Construction and Analysis

Teaches graphical flow net construction for 2D problems. Quantifies discharge and seepage using equipotential and streamline grids.

Lesson 4 • Governing Flow Equations

Derives the continuity equation and combines it with Darcy's Law to form the groundwater flow equation. Introduces steady-state and transient forms.

Lesson 1 • Cooper-Jacob Straight-Line Method

Applies the log-linear approximation to simplify Theis analysis. Enables rapid parameter estimation from time-drawdown data.

Lesson 2 • Slug Tests and Bail Tests

Covers rapid in-situ permeability tests using water level displacement. Provides low-cost alternatives to full pumping tests for site characterization.

Lesson 3 • Pumping Test Design and Analysis

Guides complete pumping test planning, execution, and data interpretation. Integrates all prior well hydraulics methods into a field workflow.

Lesson 4 • Unconfined and Leaky Aquifer Methods

Extends pumping test analysis to unconfined and leaky confined conditions. Addresses delayed yield and leakance effects on drawdown curves.

Lesson 1 • Major Ion Chemistry

Identifies dominant cations and anions in natural groundwater. Establishes the chemical baseline for contamination detection and water type classification.

Lesson 2 • Groundwater Sampling and Field Parameters

Teaches proper sampling protocols and field measurement of pH, DO, and EC. Ensures data quality for laboratory and regulatory analysis.

Lesson 3 • Drinking Water Quality Standards

Reviews health-based and aesthetic groundwater quality thresholds. Connects chemical data to regulatory compliance and public health protection.

Lesson 4 • Isotope Hydrogeology Basics

Introduces stable and radioactive isotopes as tracers of groundwater origin and age. Supports recharge estimation and flow path identification.

Lesson 1 • Advection and Dispersion Mechanisms

Defines advective transport by groundwater velocity and mechanical dispersion by pore-scale mixing. Introduces the advection-dispersion equation (ADE).

Lesson 2 • Sorption and Retardation

Covers linear and nonlinear sorption isotherms and the retardation factor. Explains why hydrophobic contaminants travel slower than groundwater.

Lesson 3 • Dense and Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids

Distinguishes DNAPL and LNAPL behavior in the subsurface. Addresses source zone architecture and implications for remediation design.

Lesson 4 • Plume Delineation and Monitoring

Designs monitoring networks to define contaminant plume extent and trends. Integrates transport theory with field data collection strategies.

Lesson 1 • Model Calibration and Sensitivity

Applies parameter estimation to match simulated heads to observed data. Quantifies parameter uncertainty through sensitivity and error analysis.

Lesson 2 • Model Uncertainty and Predictive Use

Evaluates model predictions under parameter and conceptual uncertainty. Guides responsible use of models for decision support and regulatory submissions.

Lesson 3 • Finite-Difference and Finite-Element Methods

Explains spatial and temporal discretization of the flow equation. Compares finite-difference and finite-element approaches for practical applications.

Lesson 4 • Conceptual Model Development

Translates field data into a simplified representation of the aquifer system. Defines model domain, layers, boundaries, and parameter zones.

Lesson 1 • Integrated Water Resource Management

Combines surface water and groundwater management within a unified framework. Addresses conjunctive use, drought planning, and climate adaptation strategies.

Lesson 2 • Sustainable Yield and Water Balance

Defines sustainable yield and quantifies aquifer water budgets. Connects pumping rates to long-term storage depletion and environmental impacts.

Lesson 3 • Groundwater Governance and Policy

Examines regulatory frameworks, water rights systems, and transboundary aquifer governance. Prepares students to operate within institutional and legal contexts.

Lesson 4 • Managed Aquifer Recharge

Reviews infiltration basins, injection wells, and riverbank filtration for aquifer replenishment. Evaluates feasibility, water quality, and clogging management.