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Groundwater Consulting Lab. Karen Kortz. Summary.
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Groundwater Consulting Lab Karen Kortz
Summary • Students are given a real-world scenario in this lab exercise in which they must determine the extent of groundwater contamination while staying within a budget. They progressively request more information and summarize their findings on a map.
Background to the Lab • I wanted a lab where students addressed a real-world problem • I worked with my husband (a hydrogeologist for an environmental consulting firm) to try to get things right
Previous Skills • Students need to be able to determine the direction of the flow of groundwater based on a water table contour map • I have students answer questions about this for the first part of lab to become more comfortable with the skills
Goals • Content • Predict movement of groundwater contaminants • Thinking Skills • Analysis of data • Formation and testing of hypothesis • Synthesis of data • Other • Working in groups
The Set Up • Students form groundwater consulting groups of 3-4 • Handouts: • Directions • Map with tank location • Request for drilling and contaminant testing • For the instructor: • Key
In Lab: The Students • Students decide where to drill wells • 4 drilled at the same time • They fill out a Data Request Form and give it to the instructor • Get water table depth • In addition, can request contamination test at any point
In Lab: The Students • Students receive data back from the instructor • They enter the data onto their map • Students then request another batch of data • Groups discussions of where to drill can become quite involved!
In Lab: The Students • Must stay within budget! • If you do the math, students can request 4 sets of 4 wells and 13 TPH (Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons) tests to detect contamination
In Lab: The Instructor • Students turn in requests for drilling and TPH tests • Instructor fills out the water table levels and contaminant data (if requested) using the key • Instructor does not give advice in choosing drilling locations
Evaluation • Students turn in the final map on which they draw their interpretation of the direction and extent of the contamination
For More Information Karen Kortz kkortz@ccri.edu