CVEN4503 Groundwater Resource Investigation

Semester 1, 2014

COURSE DETAILS
Units of Credit
Contact hours
Classes
Part 1 first 6 weeks

6
4 hours per week
Mondays, 9:00 12:00

Room CLB 3

Tutorial

Mondays, 12:00 13:00

Room CLB 3

Part 2 Field Course

at Wellington

14th April to 17th April (Week 7). Travel to

Wellington on 14th April in the afternoon and
return to Sydney on 17th April in the evening

Course Coordinator
and Lecturer

Dr. Martin S. Andersen

email: m.andersen@unsw.edu.au

Lecturers

Dr. Gabriel Rau

email: g.rau@unsw.edu.au
Prof. Ian Acworth
Email: i.acworth@unsw.edu.au

INFORMATION ABOUT THE COURSE

This subject is offered in the 4th year of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The prerequisite is CVEN3501. The
Wellington field component is mandatory. Students will be required to pay for food and accommodation while in
Wellington.
HANDBOOK DESCRIPTION
See link to virtual handbook:
www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/undergraduate/courses/2014/CVEN4503.html
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this course is to develop a student's understanding of the occurrence of groundwater and how it is
interlinked with surface water. In addition, the student will understand the basic methods of groundwater development.
List of programme attributes:

The skills involved in scholarly enquiry

An in-depth engagement with the relevant disciplinary knowledge in its interdisciplinary context
Capacity for analytical and critical thinking and for creative problem solving
Ability to engage independent and reflective learning
Information literacy and the skills to appropriately locate, evaluate and use relevant information
A respect for ethical practice and social responsibility
Skills for effective communication List the objectives of the course.
CVEN4503 Semester 1, 2014 Course Profile - 1

TEACHING STRATEGIES
Private Study

Lectures

Tutorials

Assessments (multiple choice questions, quizzes,

tests, examinations, assignments, site visit
reports, hand-in tutorials, laboratory reports etc.)
Laboratory Work

Review lecture material and textbook

Do set problems and assignments
Join Moodle discussions of problems
Reflect on class problems and assignments
Download materials from Moodle
Keep up with notices and find out marks via Moodle
Find out what you must learn
See methods that are not in the textbook
Follow worked examples
Hear announcements on course changes
Be guided by tutors
Practice solving set problems
Ask questions
Demonstrate your knowledge and skills
Demonstrate higher understanding and problem
solving

Hands-on work, to set studies in context

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the conclusion of the course, students should be able to:
1. Have an ability to understand the occurrence of groundwater
2. Understand the connectivity of surface water and groundwater resources, and
3. Understand how to investigate and develop groundwater resources
For each hour of contact it is expected that you will put in at least 1.5 hours of private study.
ASSESSMENT
There will be assessment exercises consisting of a mix of tutorial type questions and individual assignment work
based upon the lecture material delivered in the class room sessions. The purpose of these exercises is to enable
students to develop the necessary depth of understanding of groundwater resources so that they can enter the
workforce and contribute accordingly.
Note: The Coordinator or Lecturer reserves the right to adjust the final scores by scaling if agreed to by the Head of
School.
Details of each assessment component, the marks assigned to it, the criteria by which marks will be assigned, and the
dates of submission are set out below.
ASSIGNMENTS
1.

There will be take home tutorials for the first 6 weeks

(chapters) of the course (worth 50%).

Issued at the end

of each lecture.

Due at the
beginning of class
the following week
or as advised.

Issued on: 17th

April

Due on: 26th May

Chap 1 worth 8%; Chap 2 worth 7%; Chap 3 worth 8%;

Chap 4 worth 6%; Chap 5 worth 9%; Chap 6 worth 12%
2.

Assignment: A detailed individual report of the

measurements and interpretations of field data taken
during the field course (worth 50%).

Late work will be penalised at the rate of 10% per day after the due time and date have expired.
There is no exam at the end of session.
CVEN4503 Semester 1, 2014 Course Profile - 2

COURSE PROGRAM
Lectures and tutorials will be presented in weeks 1 to 6 of Session 1. There will then be a 3 day short course presented
at the UNSW Field Station in Wellington (NSW) where practical work will be undertaken to consolidate the
understanding achieved in the 6 weeks of lectures. The field course will commence on Monday 14th April and conclude
on Thursday 17th April. A bus will be hired for the transport to and from Wellington. On the Monday evening we will hold
a BBQ at the Wellington Caves camp site on arrival.
SEMESTER 1, 2014
Week

Date

3rd March

Introduction to hydrogeology

Following Monday

M. Andersen

10th March

Physical properties of soil and water

Following Monday

G. Rau

17th March

Equations of groundwater flow

Following Monday

M Andersen

24th March

Geophysical investigation methods

Following Monday

I. Acworth

31st March

Geochemical investigation

Following Monday

M. Andersen

7th April

Design of groundwater abstraction bores

Following Monday

G Rau

14th to 17th
of April

Topic

Lecturer

M. Andersen
G. Rau
Ian Acworth

Wellington Field Course

Break
8

Assessments Due

Mid-semester Break !
28th April

M. Andersen

Follow up questions on the field course

results

Individual report work

10

Individual report work

11

Individual report work

12

TBA

Q and A

Assignment A

M. Andersen

26th of May
13

No class !

RELEVANT RESOURCES
Extensive notes are provided in the form of a book containing individual chapters for the course material.
General texts worth purchasing are:

Applied Hydrogeology - Fourth Edition (2001) by C.W. Fetter; published by Prentice Hall - For a basic
introduction.

Physical and Chemical Hydrogeology - Second Edition (1997) by Domenico and Schwartz; published by John
Wiley and Sons - More detailed theoretical discussion of many aspects.
CVEN4503 Semester 1, 2014 Course Profile - 3

Groundwater Hydrology - Conceptual and Computational Models (2003) by K.R. Rushton; published by Wiley
- Excellent practical and theoretical approach to groundwater resource assessment.

Water Wells and Boreholes - Misstear, Banks and Clark (2006); published by Wiley

Groundwater in the Environment - An Introduction: by Paul L Younger (2007); published by Blackwell

Geochemistry, Groundwater, and Pollution (2005); Appelo, C.A.J., Postma, D.; 2nd ed. A.A. Balkema,
Rotterdam. 649 pp. ISBN: 04 1536 428 0. - Best textbook on the market for groundwater chemistry! It can be
ordered via website www.crcpress.com

The UNSW Connected Waters web site provides a portal to the groundwater world. This can be accessed at:

http://www.connectedwaters.unsw.edu.au

The Hydrogeology Journal is the academic publication of the International Association of Hydrogeologists.
The web address for the IAH is http://www.iah.org/ and journal articles are on line at
http://link.springer.de/link/service/journals/10040/index.htm.

Additional materials provided on Moodle during the course.

DATES TO NOTE
Refer to MyUNSW for Important Dates available at:
https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/resources/KeyDates.html
PLAGIARISM
Beware! An assignment that includes plagiarised material will receive a 0% Fail, and students who plagiarise may fail
the course. Students who plagiarise are also liable to disciplinary action, including exclusion from enrolment.
Plagiarism is the use of another persons work or ideas as if they were your own. When it is necessary or desirable to
use other peoples material you should adequately acknowledge whose words or ideas they are and where you found
them (giving the complete reference details, including page number(s)). The Learning Centre provides further
information on what constitutes Plagiarism at:
https://student.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism
ACADEMIC ADVICE
(Formerly known as Common School Information)
For information about:

Notes on assessments and plagiarism,

School policy on Supplementary exams,

Special Considerations,

Solutions to Problems,

Year Managers and Grievance Officer of Teaching and Learning Committee, and

CEVSOC.

Refer to Academic Advice on the School website available at:

http://www.engineering.unsw.edu.au/civil-engineering/resources/academic-advice

CVEN4503 Semester 1, 2014 Course Profile - 4