GEOL 401/403: Hydrogeology
Spring 2013
CRN:20345/20346
Instructor: Dr. Mary E. Dowse
Phone: 575-538-6352
E-Mail: mary.dowse@wnmu.edu
Office: Harlan Hall 122
Office Hours: 10 - 12 MW, 2 – 4 T
Catalog Description: GEOL 401/403. Hydrogeology & lab. The hydrologic cycle. Principles of
surface and ground water flow. Water quality and resource management. Three lectures and
one laboratory per week. Prerequisites: ENGL 102, MATH 131 and GEOL 101/103 or CHEM
151/153. (4)
Overview: This course begins with a review of the elements of the hydrologic cycle and then
focuses on groundwater. Topics will include the properties of aquifers, principles of
groundwater flow, and groundwater chemistry.
Outcomes: Specific content outcomes are given separately. Students will develop their
mathematical, problem-solving, and map interpretation skills.
Format: Instruction in this course will integrate lectures, labs, and problem-solving sessions.
Text: The text for this course is Applied Hydrogeology, 4th edition by C. W. Fetter. The text has
many helpful features. There are many examples of problems in the text and the answers for
odd-numbered problems are present in the index. Each chapter includes a list of the notation
used in the chapter. There is no lab manual for this course.
Web Support: Canvas will be used for supplemental materials for the course.
Assessment: Class work and lab work will be fully integrated in this course and the same grade
will be given for lecture and lab. The grades in this course will be based on the following
criteria:
50%: Exams (3 Exams and a final).
Exams will cover both conceptual understanding of topics and the ability to solve problems.
25%: Class activities and homework
Problem-solving is the primary class and homework ‘activity.’ Problems will be discussed in
class and students are encouraged to collaborate and work together to solve problems.
Problems are assigned 1 point for each part of a problem. Each part is graded 1-correct,
work shown, 1/2 incorrect, work shows at least partial understanding of problem, 0 - absent
or lacking a clue.
25%: Labs and Lab Projects
There will be approximately 8 labs and projects during the semester. Most labs will take
multiple lab periods to complete. Grading information and due dates will be provided at the
start of each lab. Students (individually or as teams) will be expected to present one lab
project at the Annual Student Research Conference, April 30.
GEOL 401/403: Hydrogeology
Spring 2013
Absences and Makeups: It is your responsibility to be here for class and lab! If you miss class
find out what happened in your absence and submit any work you missed as soon as possible.
Academic Integrity: Each student shall observe standards of honesty and integrity in academic
work as defined in the WNMU catalog. Violations of academic integrity include “any behavior
that misrepresents of falsifies a student’s knowledge, skills or ability with the goal of unjustified
or illegitimate evaluation or gain” (WNMU Faculty Handbook, 2008). Generally violations of the
academic integrity include cheating and plagiarism.
Plagiarism is “the intentional or unintentional representation of another’s work as one’s own
without proper acknowledgement of the original author or creator of the work” (WNMU
Faculty Handbook, 2008)
Cheating is “using or attempting to use unauthorized materials…and unauthorized
collaboration with others, copying the work of another or any action that presents the work
of others to misrepresent the student’s knowledge” (WNMU Faculty Handbook, 2008)
Penalties: Students will receive a zero grade on the assignment for the first incident of
plagiarism or cheating. Student will fail the course for a second incident.
Drops: Although the instructor may drop students who never appear in class or lab, it is the
responsibility of individual students to drop the class if they quit participating or withdraw from
school. Take the time to fill in a drop slip and turn it into the registrar so you do not end up
with an F on your record.
Academic Support: The Academic Support Center in the Juan Chacon Building provides
services such as tutoring, mentoring, advising, and study skills assessment. The Writing Center
in the Library will provide assistance with written work. If you are encountering academic
difficulties visit with the support staff and get assistance.
GEOL 401/403: Hydrogeology
Spring 2013
Tentative Schedule
(Subject to change)
Textbook: Fetter, C. W., 2001, Applied Hydrogeology, 4th ed.: Prentice-Hall
Tuesday
Thursday
Lab
Jan 10: Introduction
Ch. 1.1 – 1.5, p. 1 – 11
Jan 15: Hydrogeology
Jan 17: Hydrologic Cycle
Lab 1.1: Water Budget for
Ch. 1.6 – 1.11, p. 11 - 21
Ch. 2.1 – 2.8, p. 24 – 42
Mono Lake (Precipitation)
Jan 22: Streams
Jan 24: Aquifer Properties
Lab 1: Water Budget for Mono
Ch. 2.9 – 2.14, p. 42 – 46
Ch. 3.1 – 3.3, p. 66 - 81
Lake (Runoff &Evaporation)
Jan 29: Conductivity
Jan 31: Potentiometric maps
Lab 1: Water Budget for Mono
Ch. 3.4 – 3.7, p. 81 - 98
Ch. 3.8 – 3.12, p. 95 - 108
Lake (Storage & Summary)
Feb 5: Review
Feb 7: EXAM 1
Lab 2.1 Potentiometric Maps
Review topics as needed
Ch. 1 – 3, p. 1 - 108
Feb 12: Groundwater Flow
Feb 14: GW Flow Equations
Lab 2.2: Flow Nets
Ch. 4.1 – 4.6, p. 113 - 125
Ch. 4.7 – 4.11, p. 125 - 136
Feb 19: Steady Flow
Feb 21: Flow to Wells
Lab 3.1: Analysis of Aquifer
Ch. 4.13 – 4.14, p. 136 – 146
Ch. 5.1 – 5.3, 5.10, p. 150 –
Tests (confined)
153, 210 - 213
Feb 26: Computing Drawdown Feb 28: Aquifer Characteristics Lab 3.2: Analysis of Aquifer
Ch. 5.4, p. 153 - 165
Ch. 5.5, p. 166 – 190
Tests (semi-confined)
Spring Break
Spring Break
Spring Break
Mar 12: Transmissivity
Mar 14: Review
Lab 4.1: Regional aquifer
Ch. 5.6 – 5.9, p. 190 - 210
Review topics as needed
studies
March 19: EXAM
March 21: Regional GW Flow
Lab 5.1: Hurley Tailings Ponds
Ch. 4 & 5, p. 113 - 210
Ch. 7.1 - 7.3, p. 248 - 279
(map analysis)
March 25: Springs
March 28: Geo of GW
Lab 5.2: Hurley Tailings Ponds
Ch. 7.5 – 7.7, p. 248 - 279
occurrence
(field trip)
Ch. 8.1 - 8.6, p. 283 - 326
April 2: Water Chemistry
April 4: More Chemistry
Lab 6.1: Water Chemistry
Ch. 9.1 – 9.5, p. 346 – 350
Ch. 9.6 – 9.8, p. 350 - 361
April 9: Chemistry, cont.
April 11: Water Quality
Lab 7.1: Seymour Site
Ch. 9.10 – 9.11, 9.13 – 9.14
Ch. 10.1 - 10.4, p. 385 - 397
(cross-sections)
p. 362 – 368, 373 - 381
April 16: Water Contamination April 18: EXAM 3
Lab 7.2: Seymour Site
Ch. 10.6 - 10.7, p. 400 - 426
Ch. 7 - 10, p. 426 - 439
(groundwater flow)
April 23: GW Restoration
April 25: GW Dev & Mgmt
Lab 7.3: Seymour Site
Ch. 10.8 - 10.10, p. 426 - 439
Ch. 11.1 - 11.5, p. 441 - 449
(contamination)
April 29: Water Law
May 2: Field Methods
Lab 8: TBA
Ch. 11.6 - 11.11, p. 449 - 467
Ch. 12.1 - 12.7, p. 468 - 511
May 9: Final Exam
Note: The New Mexico Geological Society Spring Meeting is Friday, April 12 in Socorro, NM and all
students are expected to attend. Meeting registration is free and transportation will be provided.
Details will be provided at a later date.