Kwame Nkrumah University of
Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
GED 475: PRINCIPLES OF HYDROGEOLOGY
Ing. Prof. E. K. Appiah-Adjei
Department of Geological Engineering
Faculty of Civil and Geo-Engineering
College of Engineering
KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana
COURSE INFORMATION
Course: GED 475 Principles of Hydrogeology
Credit Hours: 3
Lectures: 08.00 – 10.55 @ PB008 (Friday)
Tutorial: Day? Time? Venue?
Contact: ekappiah-adjei.soe@knust.edu.gh
Office: Room 11 in Bamfo-Kwakye Building
Assistant:
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COURSE OUTLINE
WEEK ACTIVITY
INTRODUCTION
1
Definitions, Scope and Applications of Hydrogeology
GROUNDWATER OCCURRENCE
Origin of Groundwater and Division of Subsurface Water
2–3 Measurement of Soil Moisture
Definition of Common Terms – Aquifer, Aquifuge, Aquiclude, Aquitard, etc.
Types of Aquifer and Aquifer Parameters
GROUNDWATER ABSTRACTION
4
Modes of Groundwater Abstraction
GROUNDWATER FLOW (+ WELL HYDRAULICS)
6–7 • Principles of Groundwater Flow and Darcy Law
• Groundwater Flow Directions and Equations
QUALITY OF GROUNDWATER
8–9 • Natural Groundwater Quality
• Chemical Analyses of Groundwater Quality and Presentation of Results
10 – 11 EXAMINATION
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COURSE LITERATURE
1. Lecture Slides
2. Groundwater Hydrology, 3rd ed. (Todd & Mays, 2005)
3. Applied Hydrogeology, 4th ed. (Fetter, 2001)
4. Physical and Chemical Hydrogeology (Domenico &
Schwartz, 1998)
5. Groundwater (Freeze & Cherry, 1979)
6. Groundwater and Wells, 2nd ed. (Driscoll, 1986)
7. Developing Groundwater: A Guide for Rural Water
Supply (MacDonald et al., 2005)
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ekappiahadjei.wordpress.com
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LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Understand and explain basic terms in hydrogeology
• Understand porous geologic media properties and basic
characteristics of aquifers
• Demonstrate an understanding of the laws and
equations of groundwater flow in porous media
• Apply groundwater flow equations to solve problems in
confined and unconfined aquifers
• Analyse pumping test data for aquifer properties
• Analyse water quality data to assess suitability for use
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NOTES!!!
• Registration, Attendance, Punctuality, etc.
• Practical: Dates for demonstrations will be announced?
• Grading: {Exam (70%) + CA (30%) = 100%}
• CA (Mid-Semester Exam and Class Tests)
• Mid-Semester Exam: Date to be announced?
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Kwame Nkrumah University of
Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION
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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 HYDROGEOLOGY
– It is, simply, the study of subsurface water or groundwater
– It is the aspect of hydrology that deals with the occurrence,
movement and quality of water beneath the earth's surface
– Deals with water in upper 8km of the earth, but up to 4km is active
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1.2 SCOPE OF HYDROGEOLOGY
The scope of hydrogeology can be studied based on:
1. Basic geological concepts/role of groundwater as a geological agent
GEOLOGICAL
METALLOGENIC
HISTORY STRATIGRAPHY
HISTORY
PETROLOGY
SEDIMENTALOGY
SUBSURFACE (Diagenesis)
CORE ANALYSIS WATER
GEOMORPHOLOGY
GEOTHERMAL WEATHERING
HISTORY HISTORY
GEOCHEMISTRY
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(Water/Soil/Rock Interaction)
2. The role of groundwater within the hydrological cycle
Atmosphere (Water Vapour)
Evapotranspiration
Precipitation
Precipitation
Precipitation
Evaporation
Evaporation
Rising magma in volcano (magmatic water)
Runoff Ocean
Overland flow Surface Water
Land Surface (Ice, (Seawater)
(Lakes, Ponds,
Snow, Depression
Streams and
Storage, Trees, etc.)
Rivers)
Infiltration Transpiration
Interflow
Unsaturated Zone
(Soil Moisture)
Capillary rise Baseflow Direct Recharge
Percolation
Subduction
Sea floor vent
Zone of Saturation
(Groundwater) Subsea Outflow
Lithosphere (Magmatic water)
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The hydrological cycle can be divided into 3 sub-systems
Atmosphere (Water Vapour)
Evapotranspiration The Atmospheric Water System
Precipitation
Precipitation
Precipitation
Evaporation
Evaporation
Rising magma in volcano (magmatic water)
Runoff Ocean
Overland flow Surface Water
Land Surface (Ice, (Seawater)
(Lakes, Ponds,
Snow, Depression
Storage, Trees, etc.)
The Surface Water System
Streams and
Rivers)
Infiltration Transpiration
Interflow
Unsaturated Zone
(Soil Moisture)
Capillary rise Baseflow Direct Recharge
Percolation
Subduction
Sea floor vent
Zone of Saturation
(Groundwater)
TheSubsea
Subsurface
Outflow
Water System
Lithosphere (Magmatic water)
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Estimates of the world’s water resource (UNESCO, 1971)
Parameter Volume (km3) Equivalent Average Residence
Depth (m) Time
Oceans and Seas 1 370 x 106 2500 4000+ yrs
Freshwater Lakes and Reservoirs 125 000 0.25 ~ 10 yrs
Swamps 3 600 0.007 1 – 10 yrs
River Channels 1 700 0.003 ~ 2 weeks
Moisture in Soil and Unsat. Zone 65 000 0.13 2 wks – 1 yr
Groundwater 4 x 106 to 60 x 106 8 – 120 2 wks – 10000 yrs
Ice Caps and Glaciers 30 x 106 60 10’s – 1000’s of yrs
Atmospheric Water 13 000 0.025 8 – 10 days
Biological Water 700 0.001 ~ 1 week
Estimates of freshwater distribution
Soil Moisture 1.5%
Surface Water 3.5%
Groundwater 95.0% 21
1.3 APPLICATIONS OF HYDROGEOLOGY
- The work of a hydrogeologist may be divided into three:
1) Research
2) Solving groundwater supply and control problems
3) Solving groundwater contamination problems
Geothermal Research
Power
Development of
HYDROGEOLOGY Groundwater
Resources
Development of
Potential Brine and
Mineralized Water
Solving Engineering Problems Pollution and
e.g., subsidence, seepage, Contamination Control
dewatering, etc. 22
1.4 HYDROGEOLOGISTS INTERFACE WITH THESE PROFESSIONALS:
Engineering
Geologists Geophycists
Geologists
ENGINEERS: Civil, Geochemists
Hydraulic, Mining,
Agric., Petroleum,
etc. Mineralogists
HYDROGEOLOGIST and Petrologists
Photogeologists
Remote Sensors
Surface Water
Hydrologists
Soil Scientists
Groundwater Geomorphologists
Abstractors 23
