Instructor: Jean Bahr, 411 Weeks Hall, 262-5513, jmbahr@geology.wisc.edu; Office hours: M 1-2:30 PM, W 10-noon, or by appointment
Textbook: Contaminant Hydrogeology, 2nd Edition, C. W. Fetter. Prentice Hall. We will also be using part of the "on-line" Chapter 23 of Fundamentals of Ground Water, Schwartz and Zhang, Wiley, 2003. This is listed as S&Z 23 in the syllabus below. Additional readings (some of which are listed in the syllabus below) and class notes will be posted on the Learn@UW site for the class. You must be registered for the class to access the Learn@UW site.
| Date | Topic | Readings |
| 1/19 W | Introduction to Contaminant Hydrogeology | Fetter Chapter 1 |
| 1/21 F | Advective transport eqtn., Darcy's Law estimate of V | Fetter 2.1, 2.3, S&Z 23.1, Mackay et al. 1986 |
| 1/24 M | Tracer tests for V estimates | Mackay et al. 1986 |
| 1/26 W | Single well tests and borehole flowmeters | Grisak 1977 |
| 1/28 F | Groundwater age dating with environmental tracers | USGS fact sheet |
| 1/31 M | Solute transport by advection plus diffusion and dispersion | Fetter 2.2, 2.4-2.6, S&Z 23.1 |
| 2/2 W | Fickian models of dispersion and 1D analytical solutions | Fetter 2.7-2.8, S&Z 23.3-23.4 |
| 2/4 F | NO CLASS | |
| 2/7 M | Macroscale dispersion I: Model for a perfectly stratified aquifer | Fetter 2.7, 2.11; Molz et al. 1983 |
| 2/7-2/8 M-T | Lab sessions using BUGS computer model to simulate advective-dispersive transport | |
| 2/9 W | Macroscale dispersion II: Stochastic (geostatistical) model and the Borden experiment | Fetter 2.12, Mackay et al. 1986, Sudicky 1986 |
| 2/11 F | NO CLASS | |
| 2/14 M | Macroscale dispersion III: Cape Cod experiment and MADE experiments | Garabedian et al. 1991, Boggs et al. 1992 |
| 2/16 W | Macroscale dispersion IV: Fractal models | Fetter 2.13 |
| 2/18 F | Macroscale dispersion V: Geologically based models of heterogeneity | Fetter 2.15, Koltermann and Gorelick 1996, Webb and Anderson, 1996 |
| 2/21 M | Vadose zone concepts | Fetter 4.1, 4.2, 4.6 |
| 2/23 W | Structure and properties of organic contaminants | Fetter 7.1-7.5 |
| 2/25 F | Multiphase fluids systems I: basic concepts, LNAPLs | Fetter 5.1-5.6 |
| 2/28 M | Multiphase fluid systems II: DNAPLs | Fetter 5.7-5.9 |
| 3/2 W | Midterm I (Physical processes) | |
| 3/4 F | NO CLASS, Students encouraged to attend AWRA meeting in Delavan WI | |
| 3/7 M | Geologic site characterization, Intro to Eau Claire wellfield project | |
| 3/9 W | Solute transport with reactions: Kinetic and equilibrium models, classification of reactive transport problems | Fetter 3.1-3.2, 3.7.3, 3.7.4 (also review Fetter 6.1-6.4) |
| 3/11 F | First-order kinetic reactions: Radioactive decay and hydrolysis | Fetter 3.8, 7.6.3 |
| 3/14 M | Subsurface microbiology | Haack and Bekins, 2000 |
| 3/16 W | Kinetics of biodegradation | Fetter 3.9 |
| 3/16-3/17 W-Th | Lab session on use of BUGS computer model for simulating transport with decay and biodegradation | |
| 3/18 F | Biotransformation of common contaminants and field evidence of intrinsic biodegradation | Fetter 7.6-7.7, Christensen et al. 2000, Cozzarelli et al. 2001 |
| 3/19-3/27 | Spring Break - no classes | |
| 3/28 M | Sorption isotherms and retardation | Fetter 3.3-3.4 |
| 3/30 W | Nonequilibrium sorption | Fetter 3.5 |
| 3/30-3/31 W Th | Lab session on use of BUGS computer model for simulating equilibrium and non-equilibrium sorption | |
| 4/1 F | Hydrophobic sorption of organics | Fetter 3.6, Case study at the end of Fetter Ch. 3 |
| 4/4 M | Solution phase complexation effects | Fetter 3.7.1, 3.7.2, 6.6 |
| 4/6 W | Transport affected by precipitation-dissolution reactions | Fetter 3.7.4 |
| 4/8 F | Solute plumes as a manifestation of processes | Fetter 6.10, Davis et al. 2000, Cozzarelli et al. 2000 |
| 4/11 M | Colloid Transport | Fetter 3.10 |
| 4/13 W | Fence diagram and water level map review | |
| 4/15 F | Midterm # 2 (Chemical Processes) | |
| 4/18 M | Monitoring wells and sampling networks | Fetter 8.1-8.12 |
| 4/20 W | Geophysics and soil vapor sampling for plume mapping | Fetter 8.13 |
| 4/22 F | Risk assessment and remediation decisions | Fetter 9.1 |
| 4/25 M | Source control measures | Fetter 9.2 |
| 4/25-4/26 M-T | Lab session using RISC software for risk assessment | |
| 4/27 W | Pump-and-treat systems | Fetter 9.3 |
| 4/29 F | NAPL recovery | Fetter 9.5-9.8 |
| 5/2 M | Enhanced bioremediation | Fetter 9.9, Dybas et al. 2002 |
| 5/4 W | In-situ abiotic chemical destruction | Blowes et al. 2000 |
| 5/6 F | Eau Claire plume maps and risk assessment review | |
| 5/10 T | Take home final due at 5 PM |
Grading and course policies: Grades will be based on two in-class midterms (15 % each), a take-home final (20%), problem sets and site characterization project (40%), and two writing assignments (5 % each). The two writing assignments will be related to material covered on the two in-class midterms. The in-class midterms will be open book exams. The writing assignments and the take-home final are to be completed independently, without consultation or editing assistance from other students. Students will work in pairs or small groups on the site characterization project. A penalty will be applied to late assignments that are not excused due to illness or other approved circumstance.
| Type | Topic | Assigned | Due | Points |
| Problem Set 1 | Advection | 1/28 F | 2/7 M | 30 |
| Problem Set 2 | Dispersion | 2/9 W | 2/21 M | 30 |
| Essay 1 | Physical processes | 2/25 F | 3/7 M | |
| Problem Set 3 | Transport with decay and biodegradation | 3/16 W | 4/1 F | 20 |
| Eau Claire project part I | Geologic and hydrologic interpretation | 3/7 M | 4/6 W | 40 |
| Problem Set 4 | Transport with sorption | 4/1 F | 4/11 M | 20 |
| Essay 2 | Chemical Processes | 4/11 M | 4/18 M | |
| Eau Claire project part II | Plume interpretation | 3/7 M | 4/29 F | 50 |
| Eau Claire project part III | Risk Assessment | 4/27 W | 5/4 W | 10 |