GEOL0277-1 : Groundwater quality and protection

Study Programmes 2015-2016

GEOL0277-1

Groundwater quality and protection

Duration :

20h Th, 20h Pr, 1d FW, 35h Proj.

Number of credits :

Master in geology and mining engineering (120 ECTS)		5
Master in geology (120 ECTS)		5
Master in geology (60 ECTS)		5

Lecturer :

Serge Brouyère

Language(s) of instruction :

French language

Organisation and examination :

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Course contents :

The course describes the mechanisms that control (1) the natural quality and (2) the pollution of (a priori potable) groundwater resources.
The course is declined under the following main compounds: - General context and issues related to groundwater quality and groundwater protection - Natural quality of groundwater: hydrochemistry general principles, factors controlling the composition of groundwater - Groundwater contamination: soil and groundwater contaminants categories and properties, transport processes in the subsurface - Investigation techniques and methods for groundwater quality and contamination assessment - Legal and operational framework: Prevention, protection, remediation: legal aspects and decision tools, examples - Different contexts of groundwater pollution: ponit vs diffuse sources, agricultural contaminants, industrial contaminants, acide mine drainage, waste disposal sites, salt water intrusion...

Learning outcomes of the course :

General objective: theoretical and practical knowledge and critical judgement about groundwater quality and contamination problems, in view of an effective management and protection. More specifically: - knowledge about the main groundwater contamination issues and the adequacy of optimal protection measures - knowledge on physicochemical properties governing the fate of contaminants in the subsurface - basic knowledge for assessing contamination risks and groundwater state evaluation - to be able to propose an investigation program for assessing the groundwater quality state and for protection/ prevention measures - a general knowledge of the decision and legal context linked to the groundwater quality management - Mastery of technical vocabulary in two languages: French and English

Prerequisite knowledge and skills :

It is better if the student has already followed courses on hydrogeology.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :

Theoretical lectures and workshops based on study cases (with external specialists as far as possible).
One day of field trip in a hydrogeological basin, with use of field equipment (pump, probes ...) and measurements.
Exercises during the lectures. Homeworkon a real case study, based on the exercises done during the course, with deadlines at specified dates during the quadrimester. Final results to be presented orally at the exam (individually).

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :

Face-to-face
The course is given in French (possibility to ask questions in English) with the support (slides) available in French and in English.