ABSTRACT
Investigating Hydrogeology seeks to provide a text for practicing hydrogeologists that covers both essential theory and the methods that can be used to evaluate groundwater resources. Hydrogeology covers a range of disciplines requiring knowledge of subjects as diverse as botany, hydrology, meteorology, geology, chemistry and geophysics. An appreciation of groundwater processes involves the ability to understand 3D geological processes and formations and the way in which these have changed under changing climates. Groundwater is often many thousands of years old and must have been recharged under completely different climatic conditions to the optimum warm conditions that currently exist. Some understanding of the long-term climate variability is thus required.
The occurrence of groundwater in fractured rock, sedimentary basins, basalt plateau, unconsolidated deposits and recent beach deposits is described. This knowledge is important in the selection of the most appropriate investigation techniques.
Investigating Groundwater provides an integrated mathematical analysis of water flow through the unsaturated and saturated zones and seeks to cross the various science and engineering bridges that exist between the understanding developed by geotechnical engineers, hydrologists and groundwater resource specialists. SI units are used throughout. Extensive colour images and photographs are used throughout the manual to better illustrate the investigation methods described.
