Hydrogeology

Catalog description

Hydrologic cycle: occurrence, movement, quality, and quantity of groundwater; solute transport; quantitative hydrogeologic methods; role of water in geologic processes. This course has one or more required field trips for which a fee may be charged to the student. GEOSC 452GEOSC 452 Hydrogeology (3) GEOSC 452 is the study of the relation between geological and hydrological processes in the earth's surface and subsurface environments. The course will address the fundamental issues and practical applications of natural flow systems, emphasizing the occurrence, movement, quality, and quantity of groundwater and its relations to contaminate fate and transport. The primary objective is to provide students with the fundamental knowledge and tools that are necessary to understand the hydrologic cycle. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of fluid flow across scales from point observations to watershed phenomena, and will gain skills in using mathematics to describe water fluxes. The course format consists of two lectures each week, and includes two field trips. Grading is based on weekly homework assignments, exams, and participation on the field trips. Because hydrogeology is linked to a wide array of environmental, ecological, engineering, and natural resource issues of societal importance, GEOSC 452 will support interdisciplinary training of students in the natural sciences and engineering. Students will find this course useful when undertaking research about fluids in geologic processes.