Groundwater Cycle

CE 59700

Credit Hours:

1

Instructor:

Antoine Aubeneau

Learning Objectives:

After completing this course, you will be able to:

  1. Describe the global and local water balance and quantify groundwater recharge from hydrographs
  2. Identify underground waters, describe the properties of aquifers and recall their classification
  3. Explain and apply Darcy’s law
  4. Derive the groundwater flow equations, apply their solutions to solve practical problems
  5. Understand the vadose zone and the influence of soil water content on groundwater recharge

Description:

Groundwater is the single largest reservoir of available freshwater on Earth. This course explores the essential processes and properties that affect underground water. Five one-week modules articulate the course. The first module introduces the water cycle with an emphasis on groundwater. How much groundwater is available? How much rain do we need to end a drought? How much groundwater do we use and for what? The second module introduces the properties of aquifers and how they relate to water availability. What are aquifers and what are they made of? Should we exploit water stored in loose sediments or in hard bedrocks? The third module is dedicated to the fundamental law that governs groundwater fluxes: Darcy’s Law. Romans engineered water systems, but the late 18th and early 19th century Europeans provided the framework we use today. Darcy’s practical approach to solving water resources problems illustrates the elegance of science. The fourth module will expand to other models to describe groundwater flows in different situations: how does a tile drain work? Where is the water table? How deep should we drill to find clean groundwater to drink? Finally, the fifth and last module will describe water in the ground where air and water coexist. Does water flow differently in wet and dry soils? How much rainwater can infiltrate in a soil? When should we irrigate our crops?

Prerequisites:

Undergraduate courses in hydraulics, differential equations and computer sciences are recommended, but not required.

Web Address:

https://purdue.brightspace.com/

Web Content:

Syllabus, grades, lecture notes, homework assignments, solutions and quizzes

Homework:

There will be four homework assignments. Homework will normally be due on Sunday at 11:59 pm ET. 67% of grade

Final Exam:

33 % of grade

Textbooks:

Required Textbook:

Applied Hydrogeology, C.W. Fetter, Pearson Education
0-13-088239-9

Additional Readings: As provided

Gradescope

Gradescope will be used in this course as a method for grading your submitted homework and final exam.