Long Demonstrations, Set 1
Session #1 (Sunday 8:30) , repeated in Session #4 (Wednesday, 10:30)
L1A: The Woburn Groundwater Flow and Transport Model - A Spreadsheet Tool for Teaching the General Concepts of Modeling (Scott Bair, Ohio State University). Although the numerical techniques used to simulate groundwater flow and contaminant transport are commonly taught at a graduate level, the general concepts used by modelers can be presented within the context of an introductory undergrad/graduate course in hydrogeology. The Woburn F&T Model enables students to test the conceptualizations of the groundwater flow system at Woburn, Massachusetts espoused by the three expert witnesses in the famous 'A Civil Action' trial and to compare simulated heads, streamflow losses, and traveltimes with measured heads, streamflow losses, and tritium/helium ages to determine which conceptualization and testimony most closely reproduces known values. The Woburn F&T Model will be provided free to all workshop participants for distribution to their classes. To use the program in the session, please bring a laptop that can read a CD and execute EXCEL.
L1B: Using EXCEL to Ease the Math Phobia Encountered in Teaching Hydrogeology (Terry Lahm, Capital University). Teaching some of the quantitative aspects of Hydrogeology can be challenging at the undergraduate level. In this session, we show several case study examples were EXCEL has been employed to allow the students to become interactive learners. We will explore two case studies that we have developed for undergraduate students to take advantage of the quantitative capabilities of EXCEL. The hydrogeologic case studies including regional flow simulations and pathline analysis on the east coast of the U.S. and surface water - groundwater interaction at the Wells G & H Superfund Site in Woburn, Massachusetts.
L1C: Using Visual MODFLOW to Simulate Groundwater Flow and Transport (Timothy Callahan, College of Charleston). Students are trained to use the Visual MODFLOW computer program (Waterloo Hydrogeologic, Inc.) and they learn first-hand how to apply the Dupuit Approximation to groundwater flow and transport problems in unconfined aquifers. The students apply the Dupuit Approximation (Fetter, 2001) to a case study developed from Anderson and Woessner (1992) in which they are given system dimensions, aquifer properties, and well water levels. Learning objectives include (1) prediction of groundwater flow and transport and (2) model calibration model calibration (e.g., getting the model output to match well water level data). Students also learn how to solve the equations using a computer spreadsheet program, further expanding their ability to understand and work with the equations.
L1D: Using Excel for Aquifer Test (Yongli Gao, East Tennessee State University). Entry level undergraduate students who use commercial software packages for aquifer test often feel frustrated and distant from real field test. This session introduces a method of aquifer test using Excel spreadsheet. Students are generally more interested in creating interactive tools to process aquifer test data to help them better understand aquifer response to pumping.
L1E: Demonstrating Aquifer Elasticity and Specific Storage (Herb Wang, University of Wisconsin). 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.