Northern Illinois University
Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

*********** Field Methods will be offered again in Summer 2019 ************

An environmental field camp designed to train students in field methods and integrative problem solving related to environmental geosciences. The course will cover topics such as field methods in hydrogeology, surface-water and vadose-zone hydrology, water quality analysis, ecosystem health, environmental surface geophysics, site evaluation and techniques and regional landscape history and environmental change. Offered during summer session only.

Prerequisites: GEOL 320, GEOL 325, GEOL 330, GEOL 335, GEOL 390/490
Cost: $900 + 4 credit hours (approx. $2800)
Optional 40-hour OSHA HAZWOPER: May 14-18
Application deadline: February 1, 2017
* Field course may be cancelled or change dates at any time. Cost of camp is subjected to change.

Course Content

Regional landscape history and environmental change (NIU Site)

• Local and regional Quaternary geology
• Surficial geologic mapping
• Core drilling
• Stratigraphic section/soil classification
• Regional context of soils and soil mapping
• Climate history and change

Environmental geophysics

• Seismic methods
• Resistivity
• Conductivity
• Ground penetrating radar

Field methods in hydrogeology

• Water table contour maps
• Aquifer testing
• Local and regional hydrogeologic framework
• Drilling and well installation

Field methods in surface water and vadose zone hydrology

• Stream flow
• Stream dye tracer test
• Measuring soil tension and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity

Water quality

• Groundwater and surface water sampling techniques
• Field measurement of water quality parameters
• Field analysis of water chemistry
• Inorganic water analysis
• Organic water analysis
• Microbiology of water

Field trips

• Drinking and waste water plants
• Lake Calumet (Superfund site)
• Quaternary deposits of northern Illinois

40-hour OSHA HAZWOPER