Discover and learn the most up-to-date information about aquifer pumping test techniques from some of the most recognized authorities in ground water.
Aquifer Pumping Tests are a key element to site characterization, water resources assessment and remediation system design. Even when you are confident of the geologic conditions, you may have difficulty designing effective aquifer tests, running field equipment or selecting the best available model to analyze the test data. Where do you turn for help with aquifer testing?
Midwest GeoSciences Group and In-Situ, Inc. can help! We have designed a powerful online-offline course about pumping test design, equipment, data analysis techniques.
This course teaches key steps for modernizing your aquifer testing for common hydrogeologic scenarios and technical trouble areas.
This Course begins with the basic steps for hydraulic testing with the ABC's of Slug Testing taught by Jim Butler. Then take the next step, and first step into aquifer pumping tests into multiaquifer systems with Chris Neville who will introduce strategies using interpreting the meaning behind the analysis. Building on those basics, Adam Hobson will complete the first half of the course with equipment design, placement, and data management. Then the course goes deeper into the details with Ken Bradbury teaching important elements of specific capacity testing along with his analysis tool: TGUESS (which is free with the course). Next, we will cover strategies for recognizing and managing data interference and problems using examples provided by Jim Butler. Lastly, Chris Neville returns to complete the course addressing the nuances of pumping tests in Carbonate bedrock formations that are commonly a challenge for conducting aquifer pumping tests.
On-Demand Course Modules at Your Own Pace.
The personalized experience allows each registrant to learn (1) at their own experience level, (2) at their own pace, and (3) and in a private setting except when they have questions or request extra tutorials.
Take your time and dive deep into this course experience.
Final Exam and CEU Certificate
The course concludes with a Final Exam. Options for an additional tutorial is available and each registrant receives an official CEU Certificate from Northern Illinois University showing 10.0 Contact Hours.
Register now for this unique online-offline course that presents key insights about aquifer pumping tests that are found nowhere else online.
"The course was very well done. I enjoyed each presenter and thought each did a great job with their respective topics." - Ian Smith, PG., GSI Engineering
"I am enjoying the (online aquifer testing) course, I like how complex concepts are explained in a simple manner. The materials are good and the classes are easy to follow, especially offline, because I can pause every time I miss something. Great job!" - Thomas Pallua, PG*, Dott. Geol.** Lead Associate Engineering Geologist
"The (aquifer testing) series is easy to use and (each) presentation was really clear. The opportunity to hear from and interact with leading experts in the field without having to travel to conferences is an extremely effective way to disseminate information as well as build a community. I strongly recommend these (online sessions) to anyone working in the geosciences, from academics to industry practitioners." - Andrew Ireson, Hydrogeologist
"Midwest Geosciences consistently offers quality and cost-effective educational opportunities. The Aquifer Testing Series is very informative; a good mix of technical understanding and practical application. I would recommend a Midwest Geosciences course to any of my colleagues." - Michael Plante, PG, GISP Associate / Hydrogeologist
THIS COURSE INCLUDES: • Pre-Course Study Materials • Six On-Demand course modules • Offline Tutorial Activities • Proficiency Testing • Comprehensive Aquifer Testing Reference List • Final Exam • CE Certificate from Northern Illinois University (for 10.0 Contact Hours)
AQUIFER TESTING Online-Offline Course
PRE-COURSE PREPARATION:
Self-Assessment and Personalized Input:
BEGIN HERE: You'll be asked to answer 13 basic questions to give yourself a general self-assessment related to aquifer testing. Answer the questions using your own words. Refrain looking up answers, just assess yourself. We each use different terminology so just use the terminology that you normally use. Send us your answers and watch the course modules for the explanation and details for each answer.
Or, you can send us your completed self-assessment for personalized discussion with an instructor. We want you to achieve your goals with this course. Send us your special topics and request and we will ensure we either incorporate your topic into the course or help provide a solution to your inquiry.
Personal Tutorials and Study Materials:
Schedule time for yourself to review the pre-course study materials. Learning the fundamentals of each consecutive element will help you learn deeper, apply the knowledge, and get clarification for those topics that are important to you. We are here to help you dive deep into the course and gain a mastery of the fundamentals.
Goal: Understand the course vision, familiarize yourself with the pre-course study materials, and learn at a minimum, the significant elements of aquifer pumping testing.
This webinar taught by Jim Butler, PhD, PG. sets the stage for hydraulic conductivity testing using slug tests.
The slug test is currently the most common technique used at sites of groundwater contamination for acquiring information about the transmissive properties of subsurface units. Unfortunately, much information currently obtained from slug tests is of questionable quality as a result of inappropriate field and analysis procedures.
Participants will learn the basic steps as practical guidelines that they can apply immediately to their work to significantly improve the quality of parameter estimates obtained from slug tests.
Much of the field and theoretical research on slug tests over the last decade has been done by Jim Butler and colleagues. Jim's work is widely recognized by the academic, consulting, and regulatory communities as having led to significant advances in the state of the practice for slug testing.
This event includes an optional pre-session self-assessment and a proficiency test.
Whether by design or by accident, almost all pumping tests involve multiple strata. In the case of unconsolidated materials, no aquitards are completely impermeable and the leakage across them may have important influences on the response to pumping. There is a rich literature of models for interpreting pumping tests with leaky aquitards. The first part of this course module focuses on a systematic review of these models. The discussion moves into addressing the important issue of the time lag of monitors in aquitards.
We will also address the common scenarios where an aquifer consists of multiple permeable layers with no intervening aquitards. In the case of fractured rocks, it is rare that a pumping well is open across a single laterally extensive flow zone. In many cases, the well acts as a conduit to connect otherwise isolated flow zones. The course module will conclude with a review of the hydraulics of what are effectively multiaquifer wells.
Advances in measuring water level and drawdown during aquifer pumping tests is occurring in both the technologies and techniques. Huge advances in operational efficiencies are happing with transducer and telemetry design that allow pumping tests to confidently occur at large scales.
This module begins with the fundamentals of water level measurements with a focus on the use of submersible pressure transducers and data loggers and progresses into the advancements of instrumentation. It will include strategies for avoiding common measurement errors, data transfer, and best use practices.
Specific capacity tests are common for evaluating well performance. They are conducted routinely to measure trends in decline of well yield, maximum sustainable yield, pumping test design, and estimating both transmissivity (T) and hydraulic conductivity (K) of the screened formation.
Although the concept of Specific Capacity is simple, Specific Capacity Testing requires attention to detail and careful analysis of the results.
TGUESS is a free application authored by Ken Bradbury. This course module provides strategies for reliable Specific Capacity Testing coupled with examples of analysis using TGUESS. A free copy of TGUESS is included in this course.
The primary purpose of an aquifer test is to extract information about the aquifer from the analysis of drawdown data collected at the test and observation wells. In an ideal situation, pumping at the test well is the only mechanism affecting the measured water levels. In many applications, however, there may be a number of other mechanisms in the mix, the impacts of which must often be removed to avoid misinterpretations and to get the most out of the test data.
This course module presents strategies for identifying the impact of these additional mechanisms and for removing or managing them. Both field and analysis strategies will be presented to help attendees deal with the impacts of natural (e.g., barometric-pressure changes) and anthropogenic (e.g., nearby pumping) mechanisms, as well as those of the instrumentation used to measure and record water-level changes.
Carbonate rocks around the world are regionally extensive, with limestone and dolostone units identified over relatively large distances. The geologic settings described for sites may be similar, with common nomenclature. However, our recent experience in synthesizing data from several sites suggests that the groundwater flow regimes within these rocks are remarkably diverse.
Pumping tests have become both an important component and pragmatic strategy of site investigation practice for understanding the structure of a groundwater-flow system.
In this course module, data from aquifer tests conducted at several sites are examined from a diagnostic perspective. The results of the testing suggest that at least three conceptual models for groundwater flow may be distinguished: (1) complex systems of permeable features that approximate equivalent porous media, (2) discrete tabular flow zones, and (3) composite media that contain zones of cavernous porosity.
Results from step tests and constant rate pumping tests will be reviewed with attention directed to the inference of the site characteristics from the response to pumping. The course module also includes a discussion of the implications of the conceptual models for groundwater flow.
TUTORIAL OPTION:
Not ready to stop? Do you want to dive deeper? You can continue sharpening your skills with additional offline tutorial materials. Challenge yourself with more exercises and self-assessments.
FINAL EXAM:
Final Exam: Online and offline test
The final exam is a series of course element challenges that include both basic aspects of aquifer testing plus some of the important details from each module.
Graduation:
Private commencement to receive a Continuing Education Certificate from
Northern Illinois University Outreach for 10.0 Professional Development Hours (1.0 CEU).
Aquifer Pumping Tests are a key element to site characterization, water resources assessment and remediation system design. Even when you are confident of the geologic conditions, you may have difficulty designing effective aquifer tests, running field equipment or selecting the best available model to analyze the test data. Where do you turn for help with aquifer testing?
BEGIN HERE: You'll be asked to answer 13 basic questions to give yourself a general self-assessment related to aquifer testing. Answer the questions using your own words. Refrain looking up answers, just assess yourself. We each use different terminology so just use the terminology that you normally use. Send us your answers and watch the course modules for the explanation and details for each answer.
This webinar taught by Jim Butler, PhD, PG. sets the stage for hydraulic conductivity testing using slug tests.
Whether by design or by accident, almost all pumping tests involve multiple strata. In the case of unconsolidated materials, no aquitards are completely impermeable and the leakage across them may have important influences on the response to pumping. There is a rich literature of models for interpreting pumping tests with leaky aquitards. The first part of this course module focuses on a systematic review of these models. The discussion moves into addressing the important issue of the time lag of monitors in aquitards.
Advances in measuring water level and drawdown during aquifer pumping tests is occurring in both the technologies and techniques. Huge advances in operational efficiencies are happing with transducer and telemetry design that allow pumping tests to confidently occur at large scales.
Specific capacity tests are common for evaluating well performance. They are conducted routinely to measure trends in decline of well yield, maximum sustainable yield, pumping test design, and estimating both transmissivity (T) and hydraulic conductivity (K) of the screened formation.
The primary purpose of an aquifer test is to extract information about the aquifer from the analysis of drawdown data collected at the test and observation wells. In an ideal situation, pumping at the test well is the only mechanism affecting the measured water levels. In many applications, however, there may be a number of other mechanisms in the mix, the impacts of which must often be removed to avoid misinterpretations and to get the most out of the test data.
Carbonate rocks around the world are regionally extensive, with limestone and dolostone units identified over relatively large distances. The geologic settings described for sites may be similar, with common nomenclature. However, our recent experience in synthesizing data from several sites suggests that the groundwater flow regimes within these rocks are remarkably diverse.