Hydrogeology

Principles and Practice

Kevin M. Hiscock, Victor F. Bense

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781119569510
• Edition: 3
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Environmental Management
• Index: Technology & Engineering

HYDROGEOLOGY

Hydrogeology: Principles and Practice provides a comprehensive introduction to the study of hydrogeology to enable the reader to appreciate the significance of groundwater in meeting current and future environmental and sustainable water resource challenges. This new edition has been thoroughly updated to reflect advances in the field since 2014 and includes over 350 new references.

The book presents a systematic approach to understanding groundwater starting with new insights into the distribution of groundwater in the Earth's upper continental crust and the role of groundwater as an agent of global material and elemental fluxes. Following chapters explain the fundamental physical and chemical principles of hydrogeology, and later chapters feature groundwater field investigation techniques in the context of catchment processes, as well as chapters on groundwater quality and contaminant hydrogeology, including a section on emerging contamination from microplastic pollution.

Unique features of the book are chapters on the application of environmental isotopes and noble gases in the interpretation of aquifer evolution, and a discussion of regional characteristics such as topography, compaction and variable fluid density on geological processes affecting past, present and future groundwater flow regimes. The last chapter discusses future challenges for groundwater governance and management for the long-term sustainability of groundwater resources, including the role of managed aquifer recharge, and examines the linkages between groundwater and climate change, including impacts on cold-region hydrogeology. Given the drive to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the interaction of groundwater in the exploitation of energy resources, including renewable resources and shale gas, is reviewed.

Throughout the text, boxes and a set of colour plates drawn from the authors' teaching and research experience are used to explain special topics and to illustrate international case studies ranging from transboundary aquifers and submarine groundwater discharge to the hydrogeochemical factors that have influenced the history of malting and brewing in Europe. The appendices provide conversion tables and useful reference material, and include review questions and exercises, with answers, to help develop the reader's knowledge and problem-solving skills in hydrogeology.

This highly informative and accessible textbook is essential reading for undergraduate and graduate students primarily in earth sciences, environmental sciences and physical geography with an interest in hydrogeology or groundwater topics. The book will also find use among practitioners in hydrogeology, soil science, civil engineering and landscape planning who are involved in environmental and resource protection issues requiring an understanding of groundwater.

1
Introduction

1.1 Scope of this book

This book is about the study of hydrogeology and the significance of groundwater in the terrestrial aquatic environment. Water is a precious natural resource, without which there would be no life on Earth. We, ourselves, are comprised of two‐thirds water by body weight. Our everyday lives depend on the availability of inexpensive, clean water and safe ways to dispose of it after use. Water supplies are also essential in supporting food production and industrial activity. As a source of water, groundwater obtained from beneath the Earth's surface is often cheaper, more convenient and less vulnerable to pollution than surface water.

Groundwater, because it is unnoticed underground, is often unacknowledged and undervalued resulting in adverse environmental, economic and social consequences. The over‐exploitation of groundwater by uncontrolled pumping can cause detrimental effects on neighbouring boreholes and wells, land subsidence, saline water intrusion and the drying out of surface waters and wetlands. Without proper consideration for groundwater resources, groundwater pollution from uncontrolled uses of chemicals and the careless disposal of wastes on land cause serious impacts requiring difficult and expensive remediation over long periods of time. Major sources of contamination include agrochemicals, industrial and municipal wastes, tailings and process wastewater from mines, oil field brine pits, leaking underground storage tanks and pipelines, and sewage sludge and septic systems.

Achieving sustainable development of groundwater resources by the future avoidance of over‐exploitation and contamination is an underlying theme of this book. By studying topics such as the properties of porous material, groundwater flow theory and geological processes, well hydraulics, groundwater chemistry, environmental isotopes, contaminant hydrogeology and techniques of groundwater remediation and aquifer management, it is our responsibility to manage groundwater resources to balance environmental, economic and social requirements and achieve sustainable groundwater development (Fig. 1.1).

The 10 chapters of this book aim to provide an introduction to the principles and practice of hydrogeology and to explain the role of groundwater in the aquatic environment. Chapter 1 provides a definition of hydrogeology and charts the history of the development of hydrogeology as a science. The water cycle is described and the importance of groundwater as a natural resource is explained. The legislative framework for the protection of groundwater resources is introduced with reference to developed and developing countries. Chapters 2–4 discuss the principles of physical and chemical hydrogeology that are fundamental to an understanding of the occurrence, movement and chemistry of groundwater in the Earth's crust. The relationships between geology and aquifer conditions are demonstrated both in terms of flow through porous material and rock‐water interactions. Chapter 5 provides an introduction to the application of environmental isotopes in hydrogeological investigations for assessing the age of groundwater recharge and includes a section on noble gases to illustrate the identification of palaeowaters and aquifer evolution.

Fig. 1.1 The achievement of sustainable groundwater development through the balance of recharge inputs to aquifer storage (the groundwater resource) against discharge outputs for economic, environmental and human (social) benefits (Hiscock et al. 2002).

(Source: Hiscock, K.M., Rivett, M.O. and Davison, R.M. (2002) Sustainable groundwater development. In: Sustainable Groundwater Development (eds K.M.Hiscock, M.O.Rivett and R.M.Davison). Geological Society, London, Special Publications 193, pp. 1–14. © 2002, Geological Society of London.)

In the second half of this book, Chapters 6 and 7 provide an introduction to the range of field investigation techniques used in the assessment of catchment water resources and includes stream gauging methods, well hydraulics and tracer techniques. The protection of groundwater from surface contamination requires knowledge of solute transport processes, and Chapter 8 introduces the principles of contaminant hydrogeology. Chapter 8 also covers water quality criteria and discusses the nature of contamination arising from a variety of urban, industria...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Table of Contents
• Series Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• List of colour plates
• List of boxes
• Preface to the third edition
• Preface to the second edition
• Preface to the first edition
• Acknowledgements
• Symbols and abbreviations
• About the companion website
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Physical hydrogeology
• 3 Groundwater and geological processes
• 4 Chemical hydrogeology
• 5 Environmental isotope hydrogeology
• 6 Groundwater and catchment processes
• 7 Groundwater investigation techniques
• 8 Groundwater quality and contaminant hydrogeology
• 9 Groundwater pollution remediation and protection
• 10 Groundwater resources, governance and management
• Appendix 1: Conversion factors
• Appendix 2: Properties of water in the range 0–100°C
• Appendix 3: The geological timescale
• Appendix 4: Symbols, atomic numbers and atomic weights
• Appendix 5: Composition of seawater and rainwater
• Appendix 6: Values of W(u) for various values of u
• Appendix 7: Values of q/Q and v/Qt corresponding to selected values of t/F for use in computing the rate and volume of stream depletion by wells and boreholes
• Appendix 8: Complementary error function
• Appendix 9: Drinking water quality standards and Lists I and II substances
• Appendix 10: Review questions and exercises
• Index
• End User License Agreement