Hydrogeology Field Camp
This 2-credit intensive field- and lab-based course introduces students to groundwater flow, karst hydrogeology, and surface water-groundwater interactions through classroom instruction, laboratory exercises, and multi-day field investigations. Students will collect, analyze, and synthesize hydrogeologic and hydrochemical data into professional technical reports. These concepts and practical skills are directly relevant to careers in environmental and consulting work and help prepare students for the Professional Geologist (PG) licensure exam.
Instructor: Dr. Sean Yoon
Term: Summer B
Location: O’Leno State Park and River Rise State Preserve, and Williamson Hall on the UF campus.
Application
Please fill out the Google form to apply!
Course Fee Support (Summer 2026)
A $200 cost per student for course materials and supplies will be covered for all Geology majors enrolled in the Summer 2026 course through a scholarship made possible by alumni donations to the Department of Geological Sciences Foundation funds. This one-time financial support is intended to help launch the HydroCamp program. In future offerings of the course, the materials and supplies fee will be incorporated into the standard course fee structure.
Goals
- Quantitatively interpret groundwater levels and construct potentiometric surface maps.
- Understand well hydraulics and design, execute, and interpret aquifer and well tests.
- Design and conduct dye-tracing and hydrogeochemical field investigations.
- Analyze fluorescence, ion chromatography (IC), gas chromatography (GC), isotopic, and in situ sensor datasets.
- Synthesize multi-source datasets into clear, professional technical reports.
Format
This course combines classroom lectures, laboratory practice, fieldwork, and technical reporting. The course will meet either on campus (mostly in classrooms and laboratories) or at field sites.
- Classroom Lectures introduce theoretical concepts and field methods.
- Laboratory practices include sampling preparation, calibration, surveying, and data analysis.
- Fieldwork includes four full field days of groundwater, hydrochemical, and tracer investigations. Students will meet in Williamson Hall in the morning and depart for the field sites (O’Leno State Park and River Rise State Preserve) using a Geological Sciences Department van.
- Reports integrate daily data and culminate in a final synthesis report.
Prerequisites
- None, but background coursework in hydrogeology and hydrochemistry is recommended.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
- Field notebook (waterproof recommended)
- Laptop with QGIS (free and open-source) and Microsoft Excel (available free to UF students through Microsoft 365) installed
- Appropriate field clothing and footwear
- Refillable water bottle and sun/rain protection
Textbooks (optional)
- Goldscheider, N., & Drew, D. (Eds.). (2007). Methods in karst hydrogeology: IAH: International Contributions to Hydrogeology, 26.
A useful reference for students interested in deeper background on field methods and concepts in karst hydrogeology.
Grading
- Assignments 1 - 8: 5 points each (40 points total)
- Final Synthesis Report: 40 points
- Participation in fieldwork and lab activities: 20 points
- Attendance and punctuality (8 points)
- Attends all field and lab sessions and arrives prepared and on time.
- Minor absence/late arrival results in proportional deduction.
- Active engagement in field/lab tasks (6 points)
- Contributes to measurements, sampling, equipment setup, and data recording.
- Demonstrates initiative and willingness to assist team members.
- Preparation and adherence to safety protocols (3 points)
- Comes prepared with required materials and follows safety and field protocols.
- Teamwork and professionalism (3 points)
- Works collaboratively, communicates respectfully, and contributes to group progress.
- Attendance and punctuality (8 points)
Schedule (Subject to change)
| Date | Topic | Data | Due | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 20 | Lec 1: Orientation / Field Site Introduction / Dye Tracing Fundamentals Lab 1: Standard dye solution production | Standard dye sample scans | Report 1: Dye calibration curve | |
| Jul 21 | Field Day 1: Dye injection / Field trip | Report 2: Hydrograph analysis | ||
| Jul 22 | Lec 2: Dissolved-gas quantification (headspace equilibration) / GC theory Lab 2: Instrument practice (GC) / N2O calibration curve estimation | N2O standard scans | Report 3: N2O calibration curve | |
| Jul 23 | Field Day 2: YSI calibration / Well water sampling / Dye sample collection | |||
| Jul 24 | Lec 3: N2O cycling in karst / Water isotopes in hydrology Lab 3: N2O field sample processing | N2O sample scans | Report 4: YSI data analysis | |
| Jul 27 | Lec 4: Well hydraulics Lab 4: Previous slug test data analysis (Well 3) | Report 5: N2O field data analysis | ||
| Jul 28 | Field Day 3: Slug tests (Wells 4–7) / Water tape measurements / RTK survey / Dye sample collection | Slug test data (Wells 4–7) / Water tape data / Diver data / Elevation (RTK) data | ||
| Jul 29 | Lec 5: Stream flow gauging Lab 5: Previous stream flow gauging data analysis | Report 6: Slug test analysis / Well water table analysis | ||
| Jul 30 | Field Day 4: Stream gauging / Dye sample collection | Stream gauging data | ||
| Jul 31 | Lec 6: Fluorescence spectroscopy Lab 6: Dye field sample scanning (Shimadzu RF-6000) | Dye spectral data (Field Days 1–4) | Report 7: Stream flow analysis | |
| Aug 3 | Lec 7: Spectral deconvolution theory Lab 7: Spectral deconvolution practice (Python) | Deconvoluted spectral data (Field Days 1–4 samples) | ||
| Aug 4 | Field Day 5: Dye sample collection / Field gear wrap-up | Water isotope data | ||
| Aug 5 | Work on Report 8 | Deconvoluted spectral data (Field Day 5 samples) | Report 8: Breakthrough curve analysis | |
| Aug 6 | Work on Final Report | Final Report |