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GEO320 Hydrogeology - Field Course

Credits (ECTS):5

Course responsible:Helen Kristine French

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Norsk, engelsk

Limits of class size:Minimum 5, maximum 14 (depending on the number of students from other educational institutions). Maximum 20-22 in total on the course. Check "Note".

Course frequency:Annually

Nominal workload:125 hours.

Teaching and exam period:This course starts in June block. This course has teaching/evaluation in June block.

About this course

The purpose of the course is to give students practical experience in and knowledge of the most common methods used in groundwater exploration and pollution control. The course emphasizes exploration and testing methods for the purpose of finding and utilizing groundwater resources, and also gives an introduction to pollution studies and control. Several methods and approaches are involved, such as (but not restricted to) field reconnaissance and water sampling, land surveillance to determine geographic coordinates, groundwater sampling to delineate waste leachate pathways and contribution, piezometers and groundwater logging, geophysical exploration by seismic refraction, electrical resistivity tomography and ground-penetrating radar sounding and test drilling, infiltration tests, slug tests and pumping test, data analysis and reporting.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

The student will learn how to use common methods for investigating groundwater in the field. The processing of data gives the student a basis for evaluating the value and uncertainty of such methods. The student will learn which methods can be used in practical studies of groundwater, where the aims of the investigations can be of different nature. The student will get an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the various methods. He/she will also learn how to evaluate aquifer properties and groundwater flow.

Skills:

The following methods are included: Surface mapping, infiltration tests, sounding, ram drilling, installation of piezometer, logging of groundwater level, pumping tests, geophysical methods, pollution considerations, groundwater quality- field methods. The course should make the student capable of conducting groundwater investigations as a basis for: A) drinking water production and pollution control B) ecosystem and water balance assessment and C) geotechnical considerations. The student should obtain an overall understanding of necessary field exploration for sustainable groundwater management.

General competence

Collaboration in groups, organize/structure data, log coordinates, report writing

  • Learning activities

    The course is a national field course in hydrogeology, with participants from NMBU, UiO, UiB, NTNU HSN and HVL. The students are split into groups, with participants from the different learning institutions in each group. In this way, students with different backgrounds can benefit from each other's knowledge.

    The day is split as follows: morning exercise, afternoon exercise. Processing of data in the evenings. The students move, in groups, from exercise to exercise, and teachers from the institutions involved teach their specialities in one place. In this way, the students come in contact with experts in different fields of the subject of groundwater and the teachers present the same information to all the groups.

  • Prerequisites
    GEO100, GEO220 or equivalent.
  • Recommended prerequisites
    GEO210
  • Assessment method
    Assignment: Report: 100%. Grading system: Pass/Not pass.

    Assignment - Report Grading: Passed / Not Passed
  • Examiner scheme
    External examiner
  • Mandatory activity
    Participation on exercises. Absence must be approved by the course manager.
  • Notes

    Students who want to take the course must apply for admission in Studentweb no later than April 1st. After that, the places in the course will be distributed.

    GEO221 runs over two weeks in the June block. The course location may vary from one year to another. Exact dates and location to be announced later on Canvas.

  • Teaching hours
    2 exercises per day for 10 days. Evening work with data preparation and report writing. There will be some preparatory work prior to the field course and finishing of the course report during the first few days after the field excursions.
  • Preferential right
    B-MILJØ, M-MILJØ
  • Reduction of credits
    5 ECTS against GEO221
  • Admission requirements
    Special requirements in Science