This course is of interest to students in science, environment, engineering, law and other disciplines because of the importance of groundwater as a resource and to our environment. The course will include the study of hydrologic balance, hydraulic properties of rocks and regolith, the theory and practice of groundwater flow in porous and fractured media, and the geochemistry of groundwater. Emphasis will be on the quantification of groundwater flow (distribution, velocity and flux of groundwater), its impact on surface water quality and the processes that affect groundwater geochemistry. There will be example applications for water resources, environmental impact, industrial/commercial development, mining and mineral exploration.
Laboratory: The practical component will include interpreting groundwater physical and chemical data, mapping groundwater flow, calculating the rates and volumes of groundwater flow, measurement and interpretation of groundwater geochemistry.
One or more field trips to local sites in the ACT and NSW may be held including a weekend trip to the Riverina area. There will be an independent project requiring independent study, a short seminar presentation and a written report.
Note: Graduate students attend joint classes with undergraduates but will be assessed separately.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- make qualitative and quantitative predictions of where, how fast and how much water will move in soils, sediments, regolith and rocks at or near the surface of the Earth
- discuss some of the geochemical, physical and biological controls on how groundwater composition changes during various physical and geochemical processes such as evaporation, water-rock interaction and fluid mixing
- discuss some of aspects of groundwater in different geological environments and the present day problems related to Australian water resources e.g., salinity, groundwater quality, groundwater-surface water interaction
- at an advanced level, critically evaluate technical reports and journal articles
- synthesise key concepts in groundwater hydrology and/or hydrogeochemistry and apply them to complex natural environments
Other Information
In 2016 there will be two single day field trips in the local area. There may be a small cost for these trips.
Indicative Assessment
Assessment will be based on:
- Laboratory Activities; 25% (LO: 1-3)
- Field Trip Reports: 20% (LO 1-3)
- Research Project: 20% (LO 2-5)
- Theory Examination: 35% (LO 1-3)
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Workload
A maximum 26 hours of
lecture and 10 hours of tutorial, plus up to 30 hours as a combination of
practical exercies and field trip, plus up to 65 hours of independent study.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Fitts, Charles (2013) Groundwater Science, 2nd Edition. Elsevier Academic Press
Preliminary Reading
Appelo, C.A.J. & Postma, D. (2005) Geochemistry, Groundwater and Pollution, 2nd Edition. CRC Press
Fetter, C.W. (2001) Applied Hydrogeology, 4th edition.
Prentice Hall.
Freeze, R.A. and Cherry, J.A. (1979) Groundwater. Prentice Hall.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $3840 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $5460 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7591 | 22 Jul 2019 | 29 Jul 2019 | 31 Aug 2019 | 25 Oct 2019 | In Person | N/A |