Unit information: Hydrogeology in 2023/24

Unit name	Hydrogeology
Unit code	EASC30065
Credit points	10
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1A (weeks 1 - 6)
Unit director	Professor. Whitaker
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	N/A
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	N/A
Units you may not take alongside this one	N/A
School/department	School of Earth Sciences
Faculty	Faculty of Science

Unit Information

This unit covers the principles of fluid, mass and energy transport operating within geologic formations, and applications of these principles to water resource and supply issues and contamination of ground waters. Adopting a quantitative approach, the unit provides a thorough treatment of both the theoretical background of the science as well as practical approaches to investigation of subsurface hydrology and contamination. The unit adopts a problem-based approach to learning, including a field characterisation of a karst aquifer and the impacts of sub-water table quarrying. The fieldtrip associated with the unit is compulsory. Failure to attend the field trip, unless valid documentation is presented, will result in loss of credit points for the unit and may lead to a requirement to withdraw from the degree programme.

The unit material ranges from descriptive to theoretical. To cope with the theory students need to be at ease with algebraic manipulations of equations.

Your learning on this unit

On successful completion of the unit, you will be able to:

• describe and explain, both phenomenologically and mathematically, the key subsurface properties which determine storage and flow of groundwater (porosity, permeability and compressibility) and give expected ranges
• interpret and critically evaluate maps of hydraulic head and predict rate and direction of groundwater flow
• describe, manipulate and solve equations of fluid flow
• understand key differences between single-phase and multi-phase fluid flow in porous media
• interpret data from well tests to determine key aquifer properties or predict well yield and evaluate the significance of the values you obtain
• describe, manipulate and solve equations of solute diffusion and dispersion and predict the rate of transport of solutes with and without retardation
• use discharge and natural and artificial tracer concentrations at karst springs to understand the functioning of a karstified aquifer
• understand the design and parameterisation of numerical models of groundwater flow and contaminant transport, and interpret model outputs

How you will learn

The unit will be taught through a combination of

• synchronous face-to-face lectures
• synchronous office hours
• asynchronous directed individual formative activities and exercises
• guided, structured reading
• practical work in the laboratory
• fieldwork

How you will be assessed

Assessment of learning/Summative assessment end-of-unit examination (100%)

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EASC30065).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.