Teaching Field Methods in Hydrogeology

Todd HalihanShemin Ge

F. Ed Harvey(adapted from 2007 GSA Short Course)

A Course is Born

• Summer of 2005

• On the Cutting Edge – Professional Development for Geoscience Faculty Workshop: Teaching Hydrogeology in the 21st Century

• Need for people teaching hydrogeology to learn field tools and techniques

Instructors

Shemin Ge F. Ed Harvey Todd Halihan

Teaching Issues

The Good, The Bad, and the Impermeable Layer

5 Components

1.To think

2.To be professional

3.To communicate

4.To be fearless (does not include stupid)

5.To achieve the Zen of fieldwork

The Zen of Fieldwork

• Rarely see fist fights in class, not true in field courses

• Discuss this with class• Instead of fights, people will

actively monitor their distance from Zen (generally walk around repeating “Must be Zen” when equipment or students not cooperating)

Your background

• Math phobic? • 5 senses – data input

– Sight– Hearing– Taste– Touch– Smell

– None of these work for well for ground water problems – need INSTINCTS

Project Course Sites

• http://www.basecamphq.com/

• Project management websites

• Hard to keep people using them

• May be useful for some courses/situations, but students generally just meet somewhere

Round Robin System

• 3 “companies” conducting projects(Encourage company names)

• 1 project manager for each company

• For three weeks, three projects will be conducted by the three companies

• Each project will be written into a letter report detailing results (provide examples)

Importance of Project Manager

• Removes your responsibility for project fuzz – little details that the students can take care of if someone feels responsible

• Gives contact for several students in class to communicate info

• They understand the different issues that occur as manager instead of just student

• Reports are better

Example Round Robin 1

• Project 1: Basin Assessment

• Project 2: Well Rehabilitation

• Project 3: Long term monitoring

• Setup of field site and researching background can be initial projects

• Similar to a Tier 1 investigation

Project 1: Basin Assessment

Project Objectives:1. Delineate basin for Perkins Agricultural

Research Station (PARS)– Area owned by OSU– Surface water controlled area– GW regional area

2. Evaluate existing Literature– Publications– Theses– State/Federal Databases

3. Create Map of Basins

Always clearly delineate objectives

Project 2: Well Rehabilitation

Project Objectives:1. Rehabilitate piezometers

– Sand removal– Any other items removal– Improve piezometer completion

2. Document location of wells– GPS x,y– Survey z

3. Create well label with details

Project 3: Long term monitoring

Project Objectives:1. Establish piezometric monitoring

– Install transducers– Provide bovine protection

2. Establish weather station

3. Take baseline vertical profile data

4. Other?

Simple Round Robin (3 skills in 3 exercises, but exposed 3 times)

• Week 1:– Team 1: Basin Assessment– Team 2: Well Rehabilitation– Team 3: Long term monitoring

• Week 2:– Team 2: Basin Assessment– Team 3: Well Rehabilitation– Team 1: Long term monitoring

• Week 3:– Team 3: Basin Assessment– Team 1: Well Rehabilitation– Team 2: Long term monitoring

Responsibilities

• Grad Students/Seniors– 1st project managers– Training managers

• Equipment prep and cleaning– KISS method

• Course Logistics– Departure time– Departure method

Supplies

• Textbook

• Bound Field Notebook

• Clothing

• Snacks

• Boots – steel toe? Other safety gear?

• Raingear/Snowgear?

Project Notebooks

• Field forms often useful– Collect data needed for analysis– Forget fewer data needed for analysis– Write-in-the-rain paper if possible– Should grade notes as well as reports

Beware

• Single disgruntled student can wreck project

• Need to manage as quickly as possible

• Set expectations early

• Single biggest problem in field classes

• Cultivate cheerleaders

Include peer evaluation

• Student perform better when the group evaluates their own performance

• Key metrics– % of contribution (to field and to reporting)– Ranking of contribution– Easily see who the group felt performed

and who sat back

Provide examples

• Give example reports

• Give example field situation practice– Zen of Fieldwork– Angry landowner

Include/Prioritize Safety

• Signed tailgate meeting form

• Order of field operations1. Safety

2. Equipment

3. Data Quality

(Student must understand each component and not change their order!)