Hydrogeology Puns

Hydrogeologists: what do your peers believe they understand about the discipline that they actually don't?

I suspect that like many other fields, a good proportion of us don't have a complete grasp of the science. I'm interested to know what fundamental concepts you often see going misunderstood?

I've been working in environmental geology for 2.5 years. I loved my MS research in hydrogeochemistry and am frustrated by how boring and repetitive my job as an environmental field geologist is. For reference I work at a large engineering company in the Western USA. I used to plan exciting field campaigns, write grants, build models with Matlab, create beautiful figures, and actually use my brain.

Now I just do data entry, pull hydrasleeves, wrestle God awful pumps, and collect cups of dirt... feels like my MS was a complete waste of time.

Where should I go from here for a more engaging career? Is a PhD a good idea? I don't feel safe asking my coworkers for advice.

Hello fellow Hydros, I am currently researching graduate programs for the fall and have reached out to Colorado Mines, UC Davis, and UNR so far but I was wondering if anyone has any advice or can give their experience on their grad school journey in hydro or water related geosciences.

Let's look back at some memorable moments and interesting insights from last year.

Your top 10 posts:

• "Truth" by u/FrancisKehler
• "Performing pumping test at Merbok, Kedah, Malaysia." by u/babamok
• "Happy New year from The mod" by u/JakobPapirov
• "Missing Hydrogeo (x-post geologycareers)" by u/JakobPapirov
• "Happy Cakeday, r/Hydrogeology! Today you're 7" by u/AutoModerator
• "Thinking of majoring In hydrogeology." by u/apeshit333
• "Groundwater Relief is hoping to raise funds to develop a phone application to support the collection of groundwater level data at low cost" by u/vikmaychib
• "Leachate and Fractured Bedrock help" by u/Upstream67
• "Water well backfill materials" by u/lord-vaper
• "Delineate stream order in" by u/HarishHappy27

Hello. I'm an undergrad student that's been lurking in this subreddit looking for some opinions and advice regarding my field of interest, HydroGeo. So, I looked it up and saw only a few posts related. Though in the few, some has said that HydroGeo is just a field where you go on to become a professor; others say that its demand will only increase in the future due to Global Warming/Climate Change. So, I would like to ask some pros in the Geol Field (not just in Hydro but any field) about your opinion on this. If 10, 20 years down the road, HydroGeo is a viable field.

Also, (not really pertaining to future prospect) if this is a, generally speaking, stable field or a boom and bust one like some other Geol Fields?

Thank you so much for the insight.

Hey y'all,

So I'm currently a Hydrogeologist working in the WA iron ore sector here in Aus. I completed my degree in Environmental Science with a minor in Water Management and managed to crack a job in Hydro. I love my work and I'm good at it but I would prefer something with a 2:2 roster which takes me to remote and untouched places.

I'm looking more and more at transitioning to Exploration Geology as this would bode better for my future aspirations anyway. It would also possibly allow me to work in QLD which I would be much more fond of doing. It would also mean I'm only one direct flight away from my preferred place to live instead of 2-3 connecting flights.

Unfortunately, my geological training consisted of logging two holes with my supervisor and then being left to my own devices. Thanks to google I've certainly learnt a lot. While my geological knowledge of Iron Ore and the Pilbara is fairly solid (although I still need to seek the help of the Geos and colleagues at times), I have no idea what most types of rocks look like and certainly wouldn't be competent in the middle of nowhere looking for any other base metal or rare earth.

I know that I can go back and study a Bachelor of Geology although I'm not really fond of the idea of 6 part time or 3 full time years of study to get there. I did find a Grad. Dip. of Exploration Geoscience although it doesn't seem to focus on the identification of rocks at all.

I'm wondering if anyone has made this transition or has any ideas on what might be the best path for me to take to try and achieve this goal? Any insight is appreciated.

Hello colleagues, I am a geological engineer, I recently graduated in Colombia. I want to continue my academic training in another country, I want to do a master's degree in hydrogeology, I still have doubts in which country there is, and in which is the best one. thank you all very much in advance

I'm going to be doing a masters in hydrogeology in a year (only did geography with a module and dissertation topic on hydrological modelling).

What are the types of jobs that I could be looking for once I come out of this MSc? What might be in most demand? What are the fundamental skills that I'd need that might apply to an array of jobs?

Thank you

-RG

Hi guys,

I've wanted to do something more for the sub, but have never really found the time. Anyway, I've been using slack and discord quite a bit for the past few months, mostly for programming related reasons (hobby). But it occurred to me that perhaps we could benefit from a Slack to chat with our peers? Some people prefer the forum format whilst others prefer the chat format.

I'll leave the Invite link up for a while.

Hope to see you there!

Our professor taught us using the symbol for porosity as 'n'. But in some other sources it's shown as sigma or Phi.... So which one is the authentic one? Your help is really appreciated, Thanks!

Greetings friends,

I studied at an Oil and Gas focused university. We only had two hydrogeology courses, introduction and advanced hydrogeology. Because of this I don't have much formal education and everything I have learned on the job thus far as been from work experience.

I have two questions for the kind souls who are willing to answer:

1. When drilling with Air Rotary, how can one gauge the potential production of the well? To give you a current scenario. We have drilled a borehole to 380 feet. We encountered 5 sandstone layers 5-15 feet thick at various points starting at 117 feet with thick shale units in between. Steel casing was installed from surface to 90 feet (unconsolidated material) using mud rotary and then switched to air. As we drilled we can got some idea of the production based on the air uplift but the issue is the deeper we drill the water from above units makes the well seem more productive than it is. Also we can only screen across one aquifer not multiple. I found it difficult to know where to screen the well. We did not have a weir (would a weir even help?). Sorry for rambling but how does one know the best screen zone based only of the air lifting during the drilling process?

2. Since I don't have formal education in hydrogeology or a Masters Degree, are there any resources one can use to gain a better understanding of the science as a whole? Any online courses? Something interactive? I have Freeze and Cheery as well as Groundwater and Wells as reading material but would like to take some courses to better my understanding on the analytical side since I only have field experience.

Thank you for your help!

Hi guys and girls, I’m thinking of majoring in hydrogeology. I’m a non-traditional student but there’s a job in Colorado that I want so bad. Is this a difficult degree? What other classes do I need to take with this degree? Are there any websites to help learn more about this field so I’m not overwhelmed? Thank you

Thank all of you guys! It’s taken me a long time to actually choose a major that I would like. Any other advice is much appreciated.

I started off this semester beginning work on an honours thesis and research collection. However, due to the workload and circumstances of having an online schoolyear I decided to drop the honours and continue with a general degree. I know I am missing out by not completing my honours but by how much? I plan on graduating next Spring with a minor in Ocean Sciences and I plan on doing a graduate diploma on water quality next year. Will I be still be at a big loss by not graduating with honours? I am considering retaking it in the future when the situation isn't as complicated but I would like to see how available my options are before I do go back.

Edit: I also live in Canada!

Hi! I'm a 4th year Hydraulic Engineering student and i am looking for some research topics for my hydrology course's project, topics can include anything related to groundwater resources and aquifers.

Came across some mining internships with Rio Tinto that might be of interest to some of you:

Hydrogeologist internship application

Geologist internship application

Environmental science/engineering internship application

I've never worked there, but a few people I know from grad school ended up there and seemed to like the company. This could be a good way to make some $$$ next summer and possibly get a job offer. No idea what their hire ratios from internships are like. I'd be interested to hear anyone else's experience who worked or interned there.

I am looking to apply this summer and next fall (currently an undergraduate Junior working on a B.S. in geology) to a Ph.D. program in the United States focused on Hydrogeology. I have very strong grades and will have completed 2 years of undergrad research related to water contamination. I am wondering if anyone with experience in the field could recommend some graduate programs that I should keep an eye on as I start looking to apply. I have found extensive articles relating to the engineering side of hydro, but I am looking for a program related to earth science, as my undergrad background has not included any engineering-specific courses.

I will be getting my doctorate in hydrogeology/remediation this spring and wondering what are the job prospects in the private sector for Canadians with a PhD?

Bit of a background: Never thought I would get a PhD let alone go into grad school. I always thought of myself as an industry person, but opportunities presented themselves in academia after undergrad. I really love the ppl I work with in grad school and my research is pretty neat. I naïvely thought a PhD would be highly regarded in industry and the years in academia would help give me a head start in the private sector.

Some contacts in enviro-consulting I've been reaching out to for advice have straight up told that a PhD is a nice-to-have, but in no way would give you a head start in private sector. I will be basically competing with undergrads where taking a lower salary is more attractive to an employer than a grad degree. Basically everybody will start out as a Junior 1.

Starting salaries I've been hearing in consulting start around 50k - 60k, which I found surprising low compared with academia or government. I heard its pretty easy to work up a promotion, dependent on the company.

If I will be competing against undergrads for the same salary, does it make sense to stay in this sector or should I look into my prospects in other fields (such as software development) where the starting salary is higher? Or am I just looking for geo-careers in all the wrong companies? Don't get me wrong, I love field work and geology, but after 8+ years as a poor student, I'm a bit financially driven.

Currently in university and trying to schedule my last few semesters. My program is small and classes are somewhat hard to schedule. I’m trying to meet PGeo requirements by graduation, but to do this I may have to forgo taking a contaminant hydrogeology course. I’ve taken physical hydrogeology and am planning on taking hydrologic modelling, as well as doing a thesis involving hydrology and GIS and hopefully getting into an internship involving hydrogeology/water resources next summer. I really want to work as a hydrogeologist after graduation. Will not having this course impact my chances of breaking into the field?

Any opinions on the above hydro masters? Management where I work are all about the Birmingham one, but they also all did it 20 years ago so would love a recent opinion. I would also be keen to here any recommendations on any masters of hydrogeology in the EU.

Cheers

Hello!

I have a rather general question regarding the useful tools for modeling and analytics in geology.

What kind of software did you use during your studies or in your work?

Which ones do you find useful for your specialty and why?

Which one is the must-have in the CV for specific work?

I have done my bachelor's degree in geology from India and I'm planning to do my master's in geology in canada. I'm thinking to specialise in hydrogeology as few have recommended it is a stable field as compared to O&G. I was thinking Western University but saw a opportunity in SFU too. Now I'm confused, please recommend which University in canada has good hydro program.

Recently I went back to school to take some undergraduate courses so that I can level up and apply to a masters of geosciences program. I already have a bachelors in an unrelated field so I am not going for a bachelors in geosciences.

I thought that going the environmental geosciences route focusing on hydrogeology would be safe as far as job opportunities go. However after reading a lot online and speaking with a graduate student at my college who told me that all geology jobs are drying up, I am not sure this is the right route. He even told me to focus on programming and GIS to have as backup plans. His line of thought is that those who were in the oil/natural gas fields are moving to environmental geology since they can't find jobs.

So I am considering environmental engineering instead. I wanted to see if anyone on here thought that would be a better route. From what I can tell there are a lot of similarities between environmental engineering and environmental geology. It also looks like there might be more jobs at better pay.

I loved the idea of becoming a hydrogeologist but I do not want to get in a situation where I can't find a job where I live, I have to move somewhere I hate, or I have to take a job that is not what I am looking for.

I appreciate any advice anyone can offer.

Thanks!

Hey everyone long time no talk,

So I recently eclipsed my first year at a major environmental engineering firm, had a great performance review, and have been encouraged to begin thinking about where I’d like my career to lead. I currently hold a B.S. in Geology and hold the work title of Geologist. I am very interested in getting into hydrogeology within the environmental industry both because of my growing interest for it and because of the salary those who specialize in it generally make.

I was hoping to hear from you guys on what steps I should be taking to advance my career in that direction? Any online courses you’ve taken and found beneficial, programs to pick up, projects to try and get assigned to? Should I get my GIT / PG sooner than later? I’m located in the New York currently and plan to stay and build my career here. Any and all advice is as always greatly appreciated from you all. Thank you!

All my classmates graduated and got jobs in core logging and mineral exploration, whereas I started working in a small hydrogeology consulting firm.

For a variety of reasons, I really dislike consulting compared to industry. Long days in the field followed by having to do paperwork at night and updating bosses who are 100s of miles away. Not having a set schedule and not being able to plan anything in life. Getting blamed for things out of one's control. Fighting with PMs over timesheets trying to turn work into volunteering. These are only a few of the problems I have faced, and I really haven't seen anything like this with clients working in industry.

I find actual fieldwork of drilling, well design, and pump testing to be really exciting and dynamic; but unfortunately, it seems like there are no work opportunities out there for hydrogeology aside from consulting, government permitting, or academia - none of which interest me.

Due to lifestyle and family, I really want a camp job or something that has steady rotation like a 2 and 2.

In the opinion of those here, would I have much of a shot at core logging jobs? Groundwater is obviously mostly sedimentary, and then the equivalent of RC drilling once you get into bedrock, is that kind experience holding me back compared to those with 100% core shack work?

I'm in BC, Canada, since geography matters so much. I have family in the midwest telling me there is loads of related work in ND. Should I try applying for work in the US for a TN visa?

I'm currently in the New England area and will be graduating with a B.S. in environmental engineering in the spring. I will be working in environmental consulting (water engineer position) in New England for the next few years and would like to take advantage of my company's graduate program re-pay and get my degree. I eventually would like to work out west in the CO/MT/WY area with brownfields, groundwater contamination, etc., maybe with a focus on the pollution from mining.

I likely would thus be looking for a hydrology, hydrogeology, geochemistry, etc M.S. program. I'm assuming that getting a degree in an area that deals with mine pollution with be more valuable for my career path. Since I'm stuck in New England for the time being, are there any especially reputable programs like this that are offered online? Unfortunately it does not look like Colorado School of Mines has an online program for their hydrologic engineering degree, because this is exactly what I would be looking for.

I was wondering how does one hydrogeologist start his/her own consulting company, from scratch. What are the requirements? Is there anyone who has done it successfully and would be willing to share the process and experience?

I'm thinking about majoring in geology, but I'm not sure which concentration would be more convenient for me to land a job after college. How much does the concentration matter?

https://www.golder.com/insights/mitigating-groundwater-risks-with-advanced-aquifer-testing-and-machine-learning/?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Post&utm_campaign=LI-mitigating-groundwater-risks

Saw this link and thought I would share. Being a data scientist + geologist in hydro or environmental sounds like a dream job to me.

To my surprise, I was called back for an in person interview after my phone interview a few weeks ago.

I am hoping to get some tips from any environmental professionals or hydrogeologists that will prepare me for it. (Ie. Expected compensation or pay range, any guidelines I should definitely read up on, etc)

It's will primarily be a field position doing aquifer tests, groundwater monitoring, ESAs, the whole works.

I don't have much background knowledge when it comes to hydrogeology/environmental work, but I know I'm being looked at for my experience in drilling supervision (5yrs). I'd imagine they'll put me in a junior position if I'm taken on.

tldr; asking for tips to prepare me for upcoming field environmental/hydrogeology interview.

Edit: suit up or no suit?

Thanks guys!

Hello all - any general advice for a person coming into the field with a MS in hydrogeology and a non-science background? My undergrad was in economics. I hope this won't make me less competitive when seeking my first job after graduation. I also have about 4.5 years management experience from my time in the military. Just wondering what I should expect during my job search. Any and all insight appreciated, thanks folks!

Thinking of coming to campus for the Hydrogeology Field camp as a graduate. It is 6 weeks long. I need some ideas for housing. AirBNB, renting, on campus housing, etc.

Any ideas or insights would be appreciated.

Thank you!

I often read on this subreddit that programming in python is a useful skill in the field of hydrogeology. What books/online courses etc. can you recommend for learning python as a hydrogeologist?

I am currently working as a hydrogeologist with basic python knowledge. I would like to improve my programming skills.

I'll be graduating in May 2021 with a BS in Microbiology. I originally planned on going into bioremediation research, but over the past year I've realized microbio lab work isn't really my thing. I was originally planning on starting over and going for Environmental Engineering, but I realized an MS in hydrogeology would probably get me where I want to be with less time/money.

Any advice for graduate programs in hydrogeology? I live on the East Coast and ideally would like to be within driving distance. Clemson looks like it has a good MS program, not sure if anyone here is familiar with it. I know that I should try to pick a school based on what I want to research, but I'm not sure what topics in hydrogeology would give me a competitive edge in my career. What could I research that would be applicable to a future job in remediation?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Our professor taught us using the symbol for porosity as 'n'. But in some other sources it's shown as sigma or Phi.... So which one is the authentic one? Your help is really appreciated, Thanks!

What jobs can you do as a hydrogeologist and how do you get into them?

I'm currently in the New England area and will be graduating with a B.S. in environmental engineering in the spring. I will be working in environmental consulting (water engineer position) in New England for the next few years and would like to take advantage of my company's graduate program re-pay and get my degree. I eventually would like to work out west in the CO/MT/WY area with brownfields, groundwater contamination, etc., maybe with a focus on the pollution from mining.

I likely would thus be looking for a hydrology or hydrogeology M.S. program. I'm assuming that getting a degree in an area that deals with mine pollution with be more valuable for my career path. Since I'm stuck in New England for the time being, are there any especially reputable programs like this that are offered online? Unfortunately it does not look like Colorado School of Mines has an online program for their hydrologic engineering degree, because this is exactly what I would be looking for.