Updating search results...

Search Resources

30 Results

View
Selected filters:
  • aquifer-properties
The Anatomy of an Aquifer
Unrestricted Use
Public Domain
Rating
0.0 stars

This design challenge moves your students from passive to active learners through a cross-curricular, hands-on team challenge in direct correlation to real-world issues of water conservation. Through this lesson,  students in grades 6-8 will create a model of an aquifer to understand the structure of aquifers, how aquifers impact our freshwater supply and groundwater in regards to the water cycle.

Subject:
Applied Science
Environmental Science
Life Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Date Added:
04/16/2020
Aquifer Characterization
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

Well Field Practice: aquifer characterization through conducting and interpreting of aquifer pump tests.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Hydrology
Life Science
Physical Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Homework/Assignment
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Marek Matyjasik
Date Added:
08/06/2019
Aquifer Elasticity and Specific Storage
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

The goal of this experiment is to measure the specific storage Ss of a balloon, which simulates aquifer elasticity. The experiment is designed to give observational meaning to the variable, increment of fluid content, and the influence of the state of stress on the specific storage. Increment of fluid content is the poroelastic variable defined as the amount of water added to storage per unit bulk volume. It is analogous to quantity of heat added to a unit volume of a material. Specific storage can then be expressed rigorously as the ratio of increment of fluid content divided by the change in head with specified external stress or strain conditions on the REV.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Hydrology
Life Science
Physical Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Herb Wang
Date Added:
08/27/2020
Borehole Logging from Sample Collection to Borehole Geophysics
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

In January of 2003, CSUF drilled and completed a deep multiport-monitoring well on the north side of campus. This was done in order to gain a better understanding of the local subsurface geology and groundwater conditions in and around CSUF. Samples were collected from the drill hole (boring) every 5-feet. The total depth of the well is 870 feet below ground surface (grade). Borehole geophysical data (E-log) information was collected from the boring prior to the installation of the well pipe. As you describe the soil samples, compare and contrast your findings to those of the geophysical signature (gamma-ray log) found in the accompanying "E-log" for the boring.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Hydrology
Life Science
Physical Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Richard Laton
Date Added:
08/27/2019
A Civil Action' 1-D Transport Game
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

The 'A Civil Action' 1-D Contaminant Transport Game is an EXCEL spreadsheet that enables students to compute concentrations of TCE traveling in the groundwater flow system toward well H that emanate from the W.R. Grace site. The idea of the game is to draw students into learning some of the fundamental concepts about (1) how contaminants move in the subsurface and (2) how models can be used to test hypotheses. These concepts are taught within the context of the famous 'A Civil Action' trial described in the book by Jonathan Harr (1996) and the movie starring John Travolta (1998).

The spreadsheet computes values of hydraulic head, advective flow velocities and traveltimes, contaminant velocities, and contaminant concentrations at 20 locations along the flowpath from W.R. Grace to the Aberjona River. Breakthrough curves showing changes in concentration versus distance and changes in concentration versus time pop-up automatically (see below). The spreadsheet also creates graphs of advective and contaminant velocities versus distance.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Career and Technical Education
Chemistry
Environmental Studies
Life Science
Physical Science
Political Science
Social Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Scott Bair
Date Added:
11/04/2021
Effect of Fractures on Groundwater Flow Patterns
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

The goal of this exercise is to have students gain an understanding of how fractures affect groundwater flow patterns. In order for them to complete the activity, they need some background on characteristic fracture patterns in different rock types. This background could be provided in a variety of ways depending on geographic location and outcrop availability. If outcrops of crystalline and sedimentary sequences are available, you could take students in the field and have them observe (and perhaps sketch) the differing fracture patterns. If geology (and or weather) preclude this option, the students could observe fracture patterns from slides of outcrops (see slides in accompanying PowerPoint Presentation).

The classroom portion of the exercise uses a simple 2D numerical model (TopoDrive, available from USGS) to simulate flow in three aquifers: 1) homogeneous isotropic, 2) fractured crystalline, and 3) fractured sedimentary sequences. The task is to observe how the fracture patterns alter the flow patterns as compared to the homogeneous, isotropic simulation. The activity gives students practice in integrating geologic data into numerical models, describing flow patterns, and using computer technology. The activity also integrates knowledge from structural geology with hydrogeology.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Hydrology
Life Science
Physical Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Maureen Muldoon
Date Added:
08/10/2019
Estimating flow through an earthen dam
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

Students make measurements of dam dimensions and water levels above and below a small, accessible earthen dam. They assess the soil texture in the field. They follow up by developing a simple flow net and estimating seepage rate as part of a problem set. They discuss their assumptions and the likely sources and magnitude of error.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Hydrology
Life Science
Physical Geography
Physical Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Kaye Savage
Date Added:
08/06/2019
Head and Pieziometric Surfaces #2
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

Students first study the movement of water in aquifers through a lecture on Darcy's flow experiment. Then they practice applying the concepts of hydraulic conductivity and head differentials to 1 dimensional column examples. Next they use flow simulators to view flow through a cross section of an aquifer model. This activity is the final piece in the development of the idea of head driven flow. Students are given data about the thickness and head values of an aquifer member. They plot the aquifer thickness and potentiometric surface then determine the flow direction and estimate the groundwater flow velocity.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Hydrology
Life Science
Physical Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Jodi Ryder
Date Added:
08/29/2019
Hydraulic Conductivity of Porous Media Exercise
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

This activity provides the hydrogeology students an exercise to understand specific discharge, hydraulic conductivity, and porous media. They will actually use a Darcy column to gather data on porous media, as well as calculate and understand the hydrologic properties of the materials.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Hydrology
Life Science
Physical Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Laura Ruhl
Date Added:
08/06/2019
Hydrogeological Environments
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

This assignment is designed to expose students in my undergraduate 3 credit non lab elective geohydrology course to a variety of hydrogeological environments and groundwater issues/problems that exist in the United States. Much of the course (field trip and local groundwater contamination case study) highlights and emphasizes understanding of the shallow unconsolidated aquifers in Michigan. Students use as their main source of information the data and illustration rich professional USGS Groundwater Atlases. Using this resource, in this activity students learn about the structure of aquifers in volcanic rock, karst and permafrost regions. They teach their fellow students about groundwater problems that result due due to overpumping, subsidence, sinkholes, saltwater intrusion and coal mining.

Key words:
hydrogeologic environments, water supply and water quality problems, aquifers

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Career and Technical Education
Chemistry
Environmental Studies
Hydrology
Physical Science
Material Type:
Case Study
Homework/Assignment
Lesson Plan
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Peter Riemersma
Date Added:
08/06/2019
Hydrogeology Laboratory Semester Project: Hydrogeologic Assessment for CenTex Water Supply, Inc.
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

This activity is a single, semester-long project that involves a hydrogeologic assessment of a property in Central Texas. The project is presented in the lab portion of a hydrogeology class, and it is broken into several separate steps. Each step is treated as a separate assignment, however, the data and results associated with each assignment are applied towards the overall goal of the project. Students are required to maintain a file and a master Excel workbook containing all information, data, and results from each of the steps. All this information is then used to develop an analytical model that simulated drawdowns in the aquifer. This model is used to answer the primary question associated with the project. The results are then documented in a technical report.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Hydrology
Life Science
Physical Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Homework/Assignment
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Matthew Uliana
Date Added:
08/28/2019
Hydrogeology Research Project
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

This activity is for students to work in teams (2012) or individually (2013) to develop a project (such as a physical or numerical model), survey based research, case study, technical briefs on a remediation technology, etc. of the students' choice, based on their understanding of and interest in the subjects covered in the class. This is used in the GL 199 Hydrogeology course, which is offered through the Department of Geology and Environmental Sciences at Norwich University. This is an experimental course that has not made it to the course catalogue as yet. It is currently offered to students majoring in Geology, with an acknowledgement that a course in hydrogeology is a desirable component of a Geology curriculum. Environmental Science students are encouraged to take it to deepen their understanding of subsurface processes. This course is considered a science elective for Civil and Environmental Engineering majors, and greatly complements the Hydrology, and Soils and Materials classes that are a part of the regular CE&E curriculum. Students from freshmen through seniors across these three majors are accepted into the course.
With a cross section of majors and academic years in the class, it was determined that a project that has students thinking about a topic of their choice and developing fundamental research and collaboration skills is critical to meeting common workplace demands.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Applied Science
Biology
Business and Communication
Career and Technical Education
Environmental Science
Environmental Studies
Hydrology
Life Science
Management
Oceanography
Physical Science
Political Science
Social Science
Material Type:
Case Study
Lesson Plan
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Tara Kulkarni
Date Added:
11/04/2021
In-classroom Pumping Test
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

A toddler wading pool or similar tank is filled with common sand (available from home improvement stores in bags) to a depth of 15-20 cm. The sand is saturated with a slow inflow and outflow to a floor drain. A 2-inch PVC slotted screen section is buried in the sand near the center of the tank with a capped end at the bottom. Small (1 cm diameter or similar) slotted or perforated PVC or copper tubing are placed as piezometers in the sand at short distances (e.g., 10-20 cm) from the pumping "well." A fountain pump capable of discharging up to 100-150 ml/min is placed within the "well" with adequate discharge tubing to conduct the water to a drain. A stopcock is placed in the tubing to control flow. Alternatively, if the tank of sand is on a very sturdy table, a simple siphon with tubing can be used as a pump. Drawdown is determined by the difference between a pre-pumping level measurement from the top of the "piezometers" and subsequent measurements made in the same "piezometer" at times after pumping starts. Water levels may be measured using chalked wooden rods. Alternatively, a small cork with a slender wooded food skewer marked in millimeter increments can be placed in each piezometers and the students can watch the change in level of the markings relative to the top of the "piezometer." Flow is repeatedly measured using a graduated cylinder. At the start of the test, students or teams of students are assigned to either take water level measurements at a specific piezometer or to measure and control the flow rate. The data are collected on a logarithmically increasing time interval for about an hour. The flow and drawdown data are analyzed by various means (Theis curve, Jacob straight-line method, Bolton curves, etc.) either manually or using AQTESOLV or similar software. Though the drawdowns are small, the data have provided quite reasonable estimates of hydraulic conductivity for the sand.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Hydrology
Life Science
Mathematics
Measurement and Data
Physical Science
Statistics and Probability
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Simulation
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
David Becker
Date Added:
11/25/2019
Integrated Critical Zone project
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

This project is a way to assemble information about geology, hydrogeology, and soils into a coherent whole in a way that may otherwise not happen in any one class. The "critical zone" concept ties the pieces together. This project is not tied to a course but I have used it as a component of a senior assessment for geology students.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Hydrology
Life Science
Physical Geography
Physical Science
Material Type:
Lesson Plan
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Nick Bader
Date Added:
08/06/2019
Investigating a Real-Life Groundwater Contamination Event
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

This assignment is designed as a final project for students in my undergraduate 3 credit non lab elective geohydrology course. Students work in pairs to analyze an actual, local contaminated site (Delphi) and use raw data from consulting reports (boring logs, water levels, chemical water analyses) to prepare a geologic cross-section, water table map and contaminant plume map. Students are assigned different lines of cross section, water level dates and contaminant types. Students examine the variety of different figures and maps to better characterize hydrogeologic and water quality conditions over the entire site and answer some assigned questions. This project is an opportunity for students to apply skills they learned in the course (contouring, groundwater flow) to investigate an existing groundwater contamination event. It also provides the kind of "practical" experience the students can highlight in a job interview.

Key words: Groundwater contamination, case study, TCE

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Career and Technical Education
Chemistry
Environmental Studies
Hydrology
Physical Science
Material Type:
Case Study
Lesson Plan
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Peter Riemersma
Date Added:
08/06/2019
Mixing oil and water: Reinforcing groundwater concepts through comparisons with petroleum migration
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

In this exercise, students use their intuition to enumerate similarities and differences between groundwater flow and oil migration. The activity is divided into two parts: (1) brainstorming of ideas, and (2) an expanded discussion of selected topics. The instructor begins by briefly reviewing the Rules of Brainstorming and then soliciting answers to a question such as: "How is the flow of groundwater in an aquifer similar to or different from the movement of oil in a petroleum reservoir?" The instructor records the similarities and differences suggested by students in two lists. After a sufficient quantity of responses has been gathered, the instructor chooses certain ideas for closer examination and discussion. (The instructor may decide on target topics in advance, or may choose to 'go with the flow' to explore interesting ideas that emerge from the students.) The activity gives students the opportunity to connect the disciplines of hydrogeology and petroleum geology, with particular emphasis on the concepts of multiphase flow, relative permeability, and saturation distributions at the water table and oil-water contacts.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Hydrology
Life Science
Physical Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Larry Lemke
Date Added:
08/27/2020
Particle Size Analysis, Soil Texture, and Hydraulic Conductivity
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

Lab: Particle Size Analysis, Soil Texture, and Hydraulic Conductivity

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Career and Technical Education
Environmental Studies
Hydrology
Life Science
Physical Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Joseph Asante
Date Added:
08/06/2019
Porosity and Permeability
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

The students are exposed to a brief (approx. 5 minute) introduction/presentation on aquifers and groundwater including their geographical context, structure, and vocabulary.

The students receive everyday materials with different properties: Styrofoam block, scrubbing pad, etc, and a dropper bottle filled with water. They are not initially told what to do, but instead asked what they are going to do. The idea is to use the dropper bottle to put water on the objects and notice if the water passes through or not? They are also encouraged to notice any physical features that may be responsible for these behaviors. Students typically won't talk to each other at first and won't know what to do. Asking them guided questions usually encourages conversation between the students. They can also be asked what other everyday objects could be used for this exercise.

After they have explore everyday objects, they are introduced to a handsample of granite and a sandstone. Although they have not been exposed to rocks in lab, they can usually identify the granite right away, and the sandstone when about the size of the grains. They then will discuss the physical properties of the rocks and hypothesize what is more porous and permeable. They test this with the water dropper.

Finally, as a class, we discuss that something that is porous and permeable like a sandstone makes a good aquifer, and where good aquifers are located.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Hydrology
Life Science
Physical Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Rebecca Witherow
Date Added:
08/30/2020
Porosity and Water Flow in Soils
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

Three different types of sediments will be taken and the porosity and water flow rate for each type will be determined. From this activity, students will understand concepts of porosity and water flow through soil material.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Hydrology
Life Science
Physical Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Tej Gautam
Date Added:
02/07/2022
Pump Test
Conditional Remix & Share Permitted
CC BY-NC-SA
Rating
0.0 stars

Students run a pump test and interpret the results as drawdown curves and hydraulic conductivity measurements.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Subject:
Biology
Hydrology
Life Science
Physical Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Teach the Earth
Author:
Mary Savina
Date Added:
08/29/2019