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Aquifers - Objectives

Clemson Hydrogeology Field Camp

Clemson Hydrogeology Field Camp

Hydraulic head and groundwater flow

Upon completion, students will be able to:

  • Understand concepts needed to measure hydraulic head and horizontal and vertical head gradients in the field
  • Survey wells using transits
  • Determine depth to water using DTW meters
  • Estimate azimuth of groundwater flow 

Well-drilling and sampling

Upon completion, students will be able to:

  • Understand basic methods for drilling and sampling wells
  • Describe soil core
  • Understand the drilling, sampling and completion process for shallow wells
  • Describe a soil core or cuttings that you obtain

Collecting soil cores with Geoprobe

Geoprobe operator conferring with students

Describing soil cores collected with Geoprobe

Describing soil cores collected with Geoprobe

Using a Munsell chart to describe soil core color

Using a Munsell chart to describe soil core color

Spatial mapping

Upon completion, students will be able to:

  • Make a map using a pace (and/or tape) and compass
  • Measure locations and elevations using a transit, plot the points on a base map
  • Map and describe an outcrop

Using total station to survey in well locations and height

Setting up a prism at a well location for surveying

Describing aquifer materials

Upon completion, students will be able to:

  • Describe geologic material exposed in a borehole wall
  • Describe core samples from 3 different sites

Students describing cores from bedrock wells

Students describing cores from bedrock wells

Using a downhole camera to view fractures in bedrock wells

Borehole inspection using downhole camera