The global hydrology education resource

This article is a selective overview of a range of contemporary teaching resources currently available globally for university hydrology educators, with an emphasis on web-based resources. Major governmental and scientific organizations relevant to the promotion of hydrology teaching are briefly introduced. Selected online teaching materials are then overviewed, i.e. PowerPoint presentations, course materials, and multimedia. A range of websites offering free basic hydrology modelling software are mentioned, together with some data file sources which could be used for teaching. Websites offering a considerable range of general hydrology links are also noted, as are websites providing international and national data sets which might be incorporated into teaching exercises. Finally, some discussion is given on reference material for different modes of hydrology teaching, including laboratory and field exercises

A geological model for the management of subsurface data in the urban environment of Barcelona and surrounding area

The overdevelopment of cities since the industrial revolution has shown the need to incorporate a sound geological knowledge in the management of required subsurface infrastructures and in the assessment of increasingly needed groundwater resources. Additionally, the scarcity of outcrops and the technical difficulty to conduct underground exploration in urban areas highlights the importance of implementing efficient management plans that deal with the legacy of heterogeneous subsurface information. To deal with these difficulties, a methodology has been proposed to integrate all the available spatio-temporal data into a comprehensive spatial database and a set of tools that facilitates the analysis and processing of the existing and newly added data for the city of Barcelona (NE Spain). Here we present the resulting actual subsurface 3-D geological model that incorporates and articulates all the information stored in the database. The methodology applied to Barcelona benefited from a good collaboration between administrative bodies and researchers that enabled the realization of a comprehensive geological database despite logistic difficulties. Currently, the public administration and also private sectors both benefit from the geological understanding acquired in the city of Barcelona, for example, when preparing the hydrogeological models used in groundwater assessment plans. The methodology further facilitates the continuous incorporation of new data in the implementation and sustainable management of urban groundwater, and also contributes to significantly reducing the costs of new infrastructures.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

GIS platform for management of shallow geothermal resources

Premi extraordinari doctorat UPC curs 2015-2016, àmbit d’Enginyeria CivilThis thesis promotes an efficient use of shallow geothermal energy by means of an integrated management system to organize its exploitation. Shallow geothermal energy is a renewable resource based on thermal energy exchange with the ground. Due to the growth in demand for this energy, the development of management techniques to organize the exploitation of this resource is mandatory to protect both groundwater and the users' rights. Shallow geothermal performance of underground is closely related to groundwater behavior, so it is necessary to understand and improve the knowledge about it. Thus, an integrated methodology is proposed for the 3D visualization of underground resources related to groundwater. A set of tools named HEROS3D was developed in a GIS environment to support the generation of 3D entities representing geological, hydrogeological, hydrochemical and geothermal features. The GIS technology also gives a wide-ranging support to environmental modeling, either conceptual or numerical, especially to groundwater modeling. However, there is a scarcity of tools to implement the conceptual model in numerical modeling platforms. This transition needs of specific methodologies to adapt the geometries and alpha-numerical data from the conceptual model to the numerical model to get optimal numerical results. Although most necessities can be satisfied with inherent GIS tools, there are particular steps in the implementation of hydrogeological conceptual model into the numerical modeling software that have not been solved yet. To overcome this gap, a set of tools is presented, named ArcArAz. It focuses on the configuration of geometry and parameterization for groundwater numerical models. Once both the hydrogeological conceptual model and the numerical model are defined, a solid basis for management of Shallow Geothermal energy is available. This thesis proposes two methodologies for the management of this energy resource at two different scales: for a regional scale and for a metropolitan scale. The first GIS methodology provides a response to the need for a regional quantification of the geothermal potential that can be extracted by Boreholes Heat Exchangers and its associated environmental impacts. For the first time, advection and dispersion heat transport mechanisms and the temporal evolution from the start of operation of the BHE are considered in the regional estimation of the variables of interest. A sensitivity analysis leads to the conclusion that the consideration of dispersion effects and temporal evolution of the exploitation prevent significant differences up to a factor 2.5 in the heat exchange rate accuracy and up to several orders of magnitude in the impacts generated. To deepen the management of Shallow Geothermal Energy, this thesis proposes to establish a market of shallow geothermal energy use rights which would allow managing this resource at a metropolitan scale. This methodology is based on a GIS framework and is composed of a geospatial database to store the main information required to manage the installations and a set of GIS tools used to define, implant and control this use rights market. Thermal impacts derived from the exploitation of this resource can also be registered geographically, by taking into account the groundwater flow direction and adjusting the thermal impact to the available plot.Esta tesis promueve el uso eficiente de la geotermia somera a través de un sistema integrado de gestión de este recurso. La geotermia somera es un recurso renovable que se basa en el intercambio de energía con el suelo. Los Intercambiadores de calor, o Borehole Heat Exchangers (BHEs) se están popularizando como sistema para explotarla. Debido al crecimiento en la demanda de geotermia somera, es imprescindible establecer una gestión integrada de este recurso para organizar su explotación y proteger tanto a las aguas subterráneas como a los beneficiarios de esta energía renovable. Debido a que la geotermia somera está íntimamente relacionada con el comportamiento de las aguas subterráneas, es imprescindible ahondar y mejorar su conocimiento. Para ello, se propone una metodología para la visualización tridimensional de los recursos subterráneos relacionados con la hidrogeología. Se ha desarrollado un conjunto de herramientas, llamado HEROS3D, en un entorno SIG. Estas herramientas facilitan la creación de entidades tridimensionales que representan datos geológicos, hidrogeológicos, hidrogeoquímicos y geotermales. Están relacionadas con una base de datos donde tanto la información bruta como la interpretada se encuentran almacenadas. La tecnología SIG también da soporte, no sólo a la modelación conceptual, sino también a la numérica, especialmente en el caso de la hidrogeología. Para facilitar la implementación de los modelos conceptuales en las plataformas de modelación numérica, esta tesis presenta un segundo conjunto de herramientas llamado ArcArAz. Estas herramientas ofrecen soluciones a los problemas más comunes relacionados con la configuración de la geometría de entrada al modelo numérico, así como su parametrización. Las bases para una gestión eficiente de la geotermia somera se establecen llamado ArcArAz. Estas herramientas ofrecen soluciones a los problemas más comunes relacionados con la configuración de la geometría de entrada al modelo numérico, así como su parametrización. Las bases para una gestión eficiente de la geotermia somera se establecen una vez que hemos definido y están disponibles tanto el modelo hidrogeológico conceptual como el modelo numérico. En relación a este aspecto, en esta tesis se proponen dos metodologías de gestión enfocadas a escalas diferentes: escala regional y escala metropolitana o local. La primera metodología SIG ofrece una respuesta a la necesidad de una cuantificación regional del potencial geotérmico somero que puede extraerse con intercambiadores de calor o Borehole Heat Exchangers, así como sus impactos térmicos asociados. Por primera vez pueden tenerse en cuenta en la estimación regional de las variables de interés la advección y dispersión de calor, como mecanismos de transporte de calor, así como la evolución temporal desde el inicio de la explotación. Un análisis de sensibilidad demuestra que la consideración de los efectos de dispersión así como el régimen temporal de la explotación supone diferencias de hasta 2.5 veces el potencial extraído y hasta de varios ordenes de magnitud en los impactos térmicos generados. Para profundizar en la gestión de la geotermia somera a escala local, esta tesis propone establecer un mercado de derechos de uso de este recurso. Esta metodología se ha implementado en un ambiente SIG y está compuesta de una base de datos donde se almacena la información principal necesaria para gestionar las instalaciones y de un conjunto de herramientas para definir, implantar y controlar este mercado de derechos de uso de geotermia somera. Los impactos térmicos derivados de la explotación de este recurso pueden quedar registrados geográficamente, teniendo en cuenta la dirección de flujo de las aguas subterráneas y ajustando estos impactos a la superficie de la parcela disponible una vez que hemos definido y están disponibles tanto el modelo hidrogeológico conceptual como el modelo numérico. En relación a este aspecto, en esta tesis se proponen dos metodologías de gestión enfocadas a escalas diferentes: escala regional y escala metropolitana o local. La primera metodología SIG ofrece una respuesta a la necesidad de una cuantificación regional del potencial geotérmico somero que puede extraerse con intercambiadores de calor o Borehole Heat Exchangers, así como sus impactos térmicos asociados. Por primera vez pueden tenerse en cuenta en la estimación regional de las variables de interés la advección y dispersión de calor, como mecanismos de transporte de calor, así como la evolución temporal desde el inicio de la explotación. Un análisis de sensibilidad demuestra que la consideración de los efectos de dispersión así como el régimen temporal de la explotación supone diferencias de hasta 2.5 veces el potencial extraído y hasta de varios ordenes de magnitud en los impactos térmicos generados. Para profundizar en la gestión de la geotermia somera a escala local, esta tesis propone establecer un mercado de derechos de uso de este recurso. Esta metodología se ha implementado en un ambiente SIG y está compuesta de una base de datos donde se almacena la información principal necesaria para gestionar las instalaciones y de un conjunto de herramientas para definir, implantar y controlar este mercado de derechos de uso de geotermia somera. Los impactos térmicos derivados de la explotación de este recurso pueden quedar registrados geográficamente, teniendo en cuenta la dirección de flujo de las aguas subterráneas y ajustando estos impactos a la superficie de la parcela disponibleAward-winningPostprint (published version

Methods and standards development for three-dimensional mapping of the Antioch Quadrangle, Lake County, Illinois a pilot study

The Pilot Study for the Central Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Coalition (CGLGMC) focused on the Antioch Quadrangle, Lake County, Illinois developing a series of maps and digital products, several protocols for database development and maintenance and field procedures to acquire and integrate drilling and geophysical data from a quadangle area featuring complex glacial geology over a 25,000 year period.U.S. Geological Survey, Central Great Lakes Geologic Mapping CoalitionOpe

Deliverable D2.5: Decision grid for best approach in terms of modelling concepts/contaminants

FRAC-WECO : Flux-based risk assessment of contaminants on water resources and ecosystems (projet SD/TE/02A

Improving geological and process model integration through TIN to 3D grid conversion

The ability to extract properties from 3D geological framework models for use in the construction of conceptual and mathematical models is seen as increasingly important, however, tools and techniques are needed to support such information flows. Developing such methodologies will maximize the opportunity for information use and re-use, this is particularly important as the true value of such assets is not always known when they are first acquired. This paper briefly describes the cultural and technical challenges associated with the application of information derived from 3D geological framework models by hydrogeological process models. We examine how these issues are being addressed and present a tool, SurfGrid, which allows a user to generate 3D grids (voxels) of parameterized data from a series of geological surfaces. The procedures and tools described offer the ability to re-use expensively created assets by providing user friendly techniques that enable multidisciplinary scientists to extrapolate property distributions from geological models

Multivariate adaptive regression splines for estimating riverine constituent concentrations

Regression-based methods are commonly used for riverine constituent concentration/flux estimation, which is essential for guiding water quality protection practices and environmental decision making. This paper developed a multivariate adaptive regression splines model for estimating riverine constituent concentrations (MARS-EC). The process, interpretability and flexibility of the MARS-EC modelling approach, was demonstrated for total nitrogen in the Patuxent River, a major river input to Chesapeake Bay. Model accuracy and uncertainty of the MARS-EC approach was further analysed using nitrate plus nitrite datasets from eight tributary rivers to Chesapeake Bay. Results showed that the MARS-EC approach integrated the advantages of both parametric and nonparametric regression methods, and model accuracy was demonstrated to be superior to the traditionally used ESTIMATOR model. MARS-EC is flexible and allows consideration of auxiliary variables; the variables and interactions can be selected automatically. MARS-EC does not constrain concentration-predictor curves to be constant but rather is able to identify shifts in these curves from mathematical expressions and visual graphics. The MARS-EC approach provides an effective and complementary tool along with existing approaches for estimating riverine constituent concentrations