2017/18 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

SOEE3281 Physical and Chemical Hydrogeology

10 creditsClass Size: 50

Module manager: Dr Jared West
Email: L.J.West@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2017/18

Module replaces

EARS3281

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Objectives

On completion of this module students should be able to: explain how groundwater fits into the hydrological cycle; describe the characteristics or rocks and soils that determine whether they are good aquifers, interpret hydrogeological maps; find groundwater fluxes in aquifers from hydraulic head data using Darcy's Law; use a simple 'water balance' model of an aquifer to predict sustainable yields and predict the potential impacts of groundwater abstraction; describe the principles and uses of aquifer pumping tests; evaluate the accuracy and completeness of a routine groundwater analysis (using charge balance criteria); explain how the chemical composition of natural groundwaters develop; identify the main mineral dissolution reactions giving rise to specific groundwater compositions; describe the chemical reactions responsible for specific compositions; describe the behaviour of key groundwater contaminants and the major threats to groundwater quality; describe the main factors controlling aquifer vulnerability.

Syllabus

Hydrogeological cycle and water balance; porosity, permeability, hydraulic conductivity, Darcy's Law, aquifers, phreatic and confined.; Bernoulli equation, hydraulic head;, groundwater contours, principles of aquifer pump tests. Illustrated using Cooper-Jacob Eqn. . Fractured aquifers. Routine groundwater analyses - checking analyses by chargebalance. Natural groundwater geochemistry, evaluating natural chemistries, groundwater evolution. Anthropogenic contamination-types of contaminants, inorganic contaminants, organic contaminants, aquifer vulnerability.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	10	1.00	10.00
Practical	5	2.00	10.00
Private study hours			80.00
Total Contact hours			20.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

80 hours of self-directed study, background reading and revision.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

VLE Based assessment

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
In-course MCQ	VLE-based MCQ	20.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		20.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	1 hr 30 mins	80.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		80.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 01/09/2016

Disclaimer

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