Preface
The motivation for developing this book stems from the authors’ experience teaching hydrogeology. Specifically, we have found that the most fundamental underpinnings of groundwater science, namely hydraulic head and Darcy’s law, although simple in mathematical form, are often challenging for students to conceptualize and visualize, which are essential skills needed to interpret hydrogeologic data. Recognizing the power of visual learning, we present numerous sketches that relate hydraulic head and geologic properties for various porous media flow scenarios. After studying the sequence of figures and interspersed exercises, the reader is prepared to interpret head data that are collected from groundwater systems in field settings. The exercises require contemplation and integration of concepts, not solving equations.