Hydrogeology Research
The Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences at Western Michigan University has a long and prestigious history of hydrogeology research. Our faculty concentrate their research on various fields within hydrogeology, working with master's and doctoral students. The Hydrogeology Field Course builds a basic understanding about this subject.
Focus
Geosciences faculty specialize in different aspects of hydrogeology with focus on the following research:
- Application of geophysical and electrical methods to solve hydrogeological problems
- Applied hydrogeology, Hydrogeologic Atlas of Michigan
- Biogeochemistry of wetlands and effects of biota on pore-water chemistry
- Bioremediation of soils contaminated with organic chemicals
- Groundwater supply and contamination problems in Egypt
- Mapping glacial sediments that form the surficial aquifers in southwest Michigan
- Microbial interaction with uranium to deal with uranium-contaminated groundwater
- Monitoring groundwater and studying Saginaw Formation, which serves as the major bedrock aquifer in Michigan
- Permeable reactive barriers on in-situ treatment of contaminated groundwater
- Reducing failure of the bluff along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan
- Remote sensing for groundwater studies
- River and lake sediments contaminated with Polychlorinated Biphenyl
- Slug tests and methods of building wells to monitor and recover spilled fuels and solvents
- Stable isotopes of oxygen, hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen