Photos from past Modern Contaminant Hydrology at
The Center for Performing Arts, Carmel, Indiana

Photos from past Modern Contaminant Hydrology at
VASSAR COLLEGE, Poughkeepsie, New York

What other's said about last year's course,
MODERN CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY:

"I learned more about groundwater contamination hydrology (during this two-day course) than I have ever done in the past (including my university). The organization and engagement of this course was infectious."
- Louis DeManty, Staff Geologist, Walnut Creek, CA,
  Land Quality and Remediation

"Modern Contaminant Hydrology provides cutting edge training on addressing complex subsurface contaminant issues.

I give this course an A+ rating."
- Al Stone, Hydrogeologist

"With a beautiful workbook, along with a mix of lectures, tutorials and class interactions I found myself learning and re-learning at an advanced pace that was refreshing and rewarding."
- C. Scott Hardaway, PG, Virginia Institute of Marine Science,
  Gloucester Point, VA.

"Modern Contamination Hydrology class is well-planned and informative, and I felt that it was definitely worth my time and money. "
- Rachel Ataman, PG, President, Touchstone Environmental Geology, PC


See the complete feedback here

Dr. Tom Sale and Dan Kelleher teach the 2-day course
Modern Contaminant Hydrology.

View the Foreword

This course is designed around the new textbook, Modern Subsurface Contaminant Hydrology written by Tom Sale and Joseph Scalia (2025). The goal is to advance modern conceptual foundations for contaminant transport in natural subsurface settings in support of better use of finite cleanup resources. BOOK UPDATE: Released and Available Now. Click HERE to download the book.

The new textbook moves away from the conceptualization of a homogenous "aquifer", recognizes the capacities of aquifers to passively assimilate contaminants, and stylistically embraces inherent uncertainties.

Central themes include:

• The paradigm of modern contaminant hydrology has dramatically evolved in the past few years, partly due to how we approach understanding sedimentary sequences in combination with relating secondary alterations from weathering to contaminant occurrence and migration.
  
  
• Subsurface complexities from heterogeneous strata include variability at different scales of transmissive and low permeability zones.
  
  
• Diffusion is a critical process governing storage and release of contaminants in low permeability zones.
  
  
• Transverse mixing of contaminants in plumes is typically a weak process.
  
  
• Blended water quality data from monitoring wells are generally rejected as a basis for studying transport processes.
  
  
• All plausible contaminant phases including gas, nonaqueous, aqueous, and sorbed are interdependent and must be recognized.
  
  
• Reactions including phase changes, sorption, and biogeochemical transformations need to be resolved to understand the behavior of source zones and plumes.
  
  
• Reactions can be distinctly different in transmissive and low k zones.
  
  
• The conventional wisdom of absolute characterization of heterogeneous subsurface settings is often functionally impossible and therefore conceptual models with measurable degrees of uncertainty must be embraced.

Reference: Doner, Lee Ann (2008), MS Thesis, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

The course also includes a free electronic version of the new textbook, Modern Contaminant Hydrology soon-to-be-announced through Dr. John Cherry's "Groundwater Project". This 2-day course preludes with pre-session online assessment for each participant in order to address your questions and topics during the course.

In more detail...

The need to move beyond idealized classroom aquifers for contaminant transport is not a new concept. C.V. Theis stated in 1967 that "The type of aquifer in which our homogeneous model of groundwater flow is most grossly inadequate is that of dealing with transport phenomena...the simple and useful model for problems of wellfield development will mislead us if we apply it to problems of transport."

The primary audiences for the book are professionals needing a modern reference and the generalized framework to achieve realistic remediation goals.

The course sets a rigorous foundation of first principles for modern contaminant transport wherein the term "modern" is based on embracing the 9 main points in the preceding text above. References are advanced for those who want to know more. Sources for additional information include a remarkable set of electronic books (e-books) developed through The Groundwater Project that have been written by leading scientist and engineers whose experience spans the last half century under the leadership of Dr. John Cherry.

This course walks professionals through the modern paradigm of contaminant hydrology and provides one of the most comprehensive resources for anyone working in characterization and remediation of contaminated sites.

Heterogeneity includes permeability, contaminants concentrations, contaminants phases, fractions of organic carbon, redox conditions, diffusion coefficients, microbial ecology...and there's a way to account for all of this in an efficient and effective way.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION:

Limited seating.

Advanced registration is necessary for participation in this limited-enrollment short course. Pre-registration is required to reserve space and receive course materials. If you require special arrangements for diet, equipment, or handicap facilities, please indicate when registering for the course.

WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE:

Participants receive 16.0 contact hours of instruction, printed course notebook, course completion certificate from Midwest GeoSciences Group for qualifying participants.

A light breakfast and afternoon snack are included with both course locations. Lunch is included with the Calgary location event. For the Newark location event at NJIT, participants are responsible for their own lunch and get full access into the on-campus food court with a wide variety of meal options.

Before the course, each registrant receives a Pre-Course Questionnaire that allows registrants to share specific topic requests along with an option to share your professional interests, experience, and background.

This course is uniquely designed with lectures and exercises that create a meaningful learning experience.

This event also includes an optional 90-minute post-course technical online training module.

REGISTRATION:

ONLY $599*

*Early Bird Fee: $599.00 (when you register by 12-30-2025)
Early Registration Fee: $799.00 (when you register by 04-10-2026)

Late Registration Fee: $1100.00

Govt and student discounts: Call for pricing.

Registration and Cancellation Policies



OPTIONAL ITEMS:
The online registration allows registrants to add items to their course registration.

Item No 1:
Full-Color Printed Notebook for $89.00.


CANCELLATIONS:
No refunds. Any cancellation may be converted into credit with Midwest GeoSciences Group that may be used for online training, onsite courses, or field tools.

SUBSTITUTIONS:
One substitute is allowed for each registrant who is unable to attend. However substitutions are not allowed between days.

QUESTIONS:
Contact Dan Kelleher at either 763.607.0092 or dan@midwestgeo.com

• "This course (Modern Contaminant Hydrology) was a delightful experience. Tom Sale and Dan Kelleher took us from the basics through contaminant hydrology to stratigraphic controls of permeability and diffusion. With a beautiful workbook, along with a mix of lectures, tutorials and class interactions I found myself learning and re-learning at an advanced pace that was refreshing and rewarding. I highly recommend this course to fellow geologists, engineers and others interested in the practical understanding of stratigraphy."
  - C. Scott Hardaway, PG, Virginia Institute of Marine Science,
    College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA.
  
  
• "Modern Contamination Hydrology class is well-planned and informative, and I felt that it was definitely worth my time and money. I gained new insights that I can apply to my reporting work today, and on top of that, the food was really good!"
  - Rachel Ataman, PG, President, Touchstone Environmental Geology, PC
  
  
• "I learned more about groundwater contamination hydrology (during this two-day course) than I have ever done in the past (including my university). The organization and engagement of this course was infectious, and they even had set up the day before to celebrate the life changing Eclipse that was happening (which was life changing!). With the course itself, it was encouraged to engage with both Dr. Sale and Mr. Kelleher, and was able to participate during the soil logging exercise which we were able to "get our hands dirty" with logging kits. I usually don't enjoy participating during a class, but in this case I was eager. The majority of what I do is soil logging, so I was excited to get pointers and suggestions from others from around the world (There were professionals from Europe that attended!). I would do this course, or any other course that Midwest Geo organizes anytime I am able. They have such attention to detail, and each course is adapted to accommodate anyone, even if you are new to the business or seasoned professional. I cannot tell you enough about the professionalism and personable environment that they provide, and highly recommend any course they offer. The only disappointment that I had was that I didn't win the prize for traveling the furthest to attend (I think I came in second), but I would travel around the world if I could. Thanks Midwest Geo, Keep it up!"
  - Louis DeManty, Staff Geologist, Walnut Creek, CA,
    Land Quality and Remediation
  
  
• "Modern Contaminant Hydrology provides cutting edge training on addressing complex subsurface contaminant issues. The course notebook is also an excellent reference. The instructors for this course are experts in their fields, and their presentations are clear and easy to understand. I give this course and all other Midwest Geosciences courses an A+ rating, and look forward to attending future courses!"
  - Al Stone, Hydrogeologist