Course Description

The use of computer modeling tools has become a standard practice in many groundwater investigations. Groundwater resources evaluation, groundwater quality assessment, contamination site assessment and remediation, environmental impact review, and other groundwater related activities increasingly rely on computer models as a means of understanding groundwater flow and the fate of contaminants in the subsurface. This course introduces the conceptual principles and practical aspects of groundwater modeling in an intuitive yet comprehensive manner. The course objective is to demystify the use of groundwater models by providing solid understanding of the principles, methods, assumptions, and limitations of groundwater models, as well as hands-on experience with the planning, preparation, execution, presentation, and review of a modeling project.

The first half of the course reviews the concepts of groundwater flow and transport, and of finite difference and finite element methods. It provides an overview of various software programs for ground-water flow and transport modeling and accompanying pre- and postprocessing programs. The second half of the course features hands-on exercises based on the USGS MODFLOW flow model and transport model MT3D. Exercises include site-specific models as well as basin/water-shed wide models. The course is taught by experienced instructors familiar with in-depth knowledge of basic and advanced principles of modeling as well as California hydrogeology. At the end of the course, participants should be able to understand and actively engage in planning, supervision, and/or review of groundwater modeling projects.

Who Should Attend

The short-course is intended for professional consultants, technical personnel in engineering/geology firms and irrigation/water districts, regulatory agency specialists and managers, and those in the legal community specializing in groundwater issues. Participants should have a working knowledge of the principles of groundwater hydrology and be familiar with the PC Windows 95 (or Windows 2000) environment. No formal training in computer programming is necessary.

• principles and concepts of groundwater modeling
• overview of groundwater modeling software
• conceptual model development
• data collection and preparation
• model grid design
• boundary conditions: concepts and application
• simulating rivers, lakes, recharge, drainage
• modeling multiple aquifer systems
• sensitivity analysis
• model calibration and verification
• contaminant transport modeling
• capture zone analysis
• Course Instructors

Graham E. Fogg, Ph.D., is a professor of hydrogeology with the Hydrology Program of the Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California, Davis. He received a B.S. in hydrology at the University of New Hampshire, a M.S. in hydrology from the University of Arizona, and a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Texas at Austin. He is currently teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in groundwater hydrology and groundwater modeling. His research interests include geologic-geostatistical characterization of subsurface heterogeneity, mass transport in heterogeneous porous media, numerical modeling of ground-water systems, and regional hydrogeology. Fogg has 20 years experience characterizing and analyzing groundwater under a diversity of conditions in the southwest and western United States.

Thomas Harter, Ph.D., received a B.S. in hydrology from the University of Freiburg, Germany and a M.S. in hydrology from the University of Stuttgart, Germany. He received his Ph.D. in hydrology (with emphasis on subsurface hydrology) at the University of Arizona, where he became the 1991 Harshbarger fellow for outstanding research in subsurface flow and transport modeling. In 1995, he joined the faculty at the Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California, Davis. Harter has been instrumental in developing the University of California Cooperative Extension Groundwater Hydrology Program*. His research focuses on nonpoint-source pollution of groundwater, groundwater resources evaluation under uncertainty, groundwater modeling, and contaminant transport. Dr. Harter has done extensive modeling of heterogeneous aquifer/vadose zone systems.

*University of California Cooperative Extension Groundwater Hydrology Program: The program's mission is to facilitate technology transfer from California's research institutions to the public, local and state agencies, and water irrigation and natural resource districts. The program focuses on groundwater resources issues and soil and groundwater quality problems.

Peter Schwartzman, M.S., received a B.A. in geology and environmental studies from University of Pennsylvania and a M.S. in hydrology from the University of Arizona. He currently provides hydrogeologic consulting as an associate at Pacific Groundwater Group in Seattle, Washington. Schwartzman has had extensive experience in hydrogeologic characterization and groundwater flow modeling. He has contributed to development of groundwater modeling software and is experienced with a variety of models and modeling interfaces. He is interested in modeling regional flow systems, stream-aquifer interactions, and contaminant transport simulation.

Course Benefits

At the end of the course, participants should have:

• a well-founded knowledge of the principles of groundwater flow and transport modeling
• familiarity with the major elements of groundwater modeling studies
• hands-on experience in designing simple groundwater flow and transport studies with MODFLOW using popular groundwater modeling software
• a fundamental understanding of the capabilities and limitations of groundwater modeling
• an understanding of the appropriate role of groundwater models in groundwater assessment and management

Dates and Times

• Tuesday, September 18, 2001, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
• Wednesday, September 19, 2001 - 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Thursday, September 20, 2001, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  

Location

California State University, Sacramento
6000 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95819

The University was founded as Sacramento State College in 1947. It moved to its permanent location on the banks of the historic American River in 1953. In 1972 it was renamed California State University, Sacramento.

The University is in the midst of an ambitious building effort. Recent additions include four new classroom buildings, a major expansion that doubled the size of the student union, and Placer Hall, a high-tech scientific facility built in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey. The University's athletic complex had $1.5 million in improvements and was the site of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. Among the upcoming projects are a research and special projects building, and a large technology-oriented addition to the University Library.

Classroom

To be determined - please check back shortly.

Directions

IMPORTANT: Directions take you to the south entrance of campus adjacent to US Highway 50 at the Howe Avenue exit. Doing a map search using the campus address will take you to the north entrance of campus off of J Street.

Sacramento Amtrak Station to CSU, Sacramento:

Start out going West on L Street towards 7th Street by turning left. Turn left onto 7th Street. Turn left onto Capitol Mall. Turn right onto 9th Street. Turn left onto X Street. Turn slight left to take the I-80-BR EAST/US-50 EAST ramp towards RENO/PLACERVILLE/FRESNO (CA-99 SOUTH). Merge onto I-80 BR. Stay straight to go onto US-50 E. Take the Howe Avenue exit towards Power Inn Rd (CA-16). Merge onto Hornet Drive Turn left onto College Town Drive

Total Distance: 6.5 miles
Total Estimated Time: 12 minutes

Sacramento Greyhound Station to CSU, Sacramento:

Start out going West on I Street. Take the I-5 SOUTH/CA-99 SOUTH/I-80-BR ramp towards West Sacramento. Merge onto I-5 South. Take I-80 BR. Stay straight to go onto US-50 E. Take the Howe Avenue exit towards Power Inn Rd (CA-16). Merge onto Hornet Drive. Turn left onto College Town Drive.

Total Distance: 7.5 miles
Total Estimated Time: 10 minutes

Sacramento International Airport (SMF) to CSU, Sacramento:

Start out going Northwest on Airport Blvd. by turning right. Turn slight left. Turn slight left onto Earhart Drive. Stay straight to go onto Airport Exit. Turn slight right onto Airport Exit. Turn slight left onto Airport Blvd. Take the I-5 SOUTH ramp towards SACRAMENTO/YUBA CITY. Merge onto I-5 S. Take I-80 BR. Stay straight to go onto US-50 E. Take the Howe Avenue exit towards Power Inn Rd (CA-16). Merge onto Hornet Drive. Turn left onto College Town Drive.

Total Distance: 6.5 miles
Total Estimated Time: 12 minutes

Parking

To be provided - please check back shortly.

Campus Map

Click to view in Adobe PDF format.

This Course Is Fully Enrolled

We can no longer accept registrations for this event - but we are planning a similar course for January 2002. Click here to reserve a seat.