Prerequisites

Students are expected to have completed at least the first two years of a standard undergraduate program in the geosciences. This would normally include an introductory course and two or more courses in the subject matters of mineralogy, petrology, structure, stratigraphy, tectonics. In addition, a minimum of one advanced course in environmental geology, geomorphology, hydrology, geochemistry, soil science, or Quarternary geology is expected. Students with alternative backgrounds are encouraged to apply and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Note: This course is physically demanding. Students should be in good health, capable of strenuous hiking on rugged terrain while carrying daypack and field gear.

Overview

This course emphasizes an integrated approach to field work and provides an opportunity for students to obtain first hand experience with a critical set of skills and techniques appropriate for environmental geoscience. Instruction takes place in a complex field setting where natural diversity is juxtaposed with environmental issues/problems relating to forest and water resource management, ranching and farming, mining, and recreation. Students gain observational and technical skills, presented in a problem-solving framework. We emphasize the importance of integrating fundamental geological observations/investigations with the environmental work. The design of this environmental option reflects the philosophy that any environmental problem is rooted in what is considered traditional geology (e.g. recharge and deep groundwater flow typically has significant bedrock control).

The first several weeks of G429e follow the regular schedule for G429, covering stratigraphic analyses, solutions to structural problems, and regional tectonics. During the latter portion of the instructional sequence the topics covered switch to include those that are relevant to many new problem areas in geology and in the environmental sector, while at the same time maintaining a link to the fundamental principles that have been previously developed. Aspects of traditional hard-rock geology are integrated with several new exercises (e.g. groundwater flow through fractured crystalline rock, establishing the igneous and petrologic history of an ore deposit that is now the source of acid mine drainage). Many of the field exercises are carried out within the Willow Creek Demonstration Watershed so that the projects may be integrated as the course progresses and to use a network of permanent monitoring stations (weather stations, monitoring wells, stream gaging stations) that provide hands-on access as well as annual/long-term data sets for information about long-term patterns.

Curriculum material in G429e includes Cenozoic basin formation and sedimentation, soils, surficial processes, surface water hydrology and chemistry, groundwater hydrology and chemistry, acid mine drainage, mining design, and mine reclamation. G429e uses the following equipment: auto level surveying equipment, electrical tape, pressure transducers and data loggers for recovering time series data for seasonal water level determinations and for performing slug tests on monitoring wells (this also includes the use of laptop computers for downloading data from data loggers for data reduction); Guelph permeameters for measuring in situ hydraulic conductivity of soils and unsaturated sediments; current meters for measuring stream flow and calibrating stream gauging stations; seepage meters and mini-piezometers for measuring inflow/outflow for water budget/flux calculations; portable high-quality meters for measuring field chemistry (temperature, pH, Eh, DO, SpC).

As previously noted, this course emphasizes combining traditional aspects with environmental concerns and this is reflected in a Final Study Area. This final project incorporates all aspects of the course (regional stratigraphy, structural styles, surficial processes, hydrology).

A field trip to the overthrust belt of northwestern Montana is scheduled as well as field trips to Superfund sites. This three day trip to northwestern Montana is described above under G429.