MCCCD Program Description

Water Resources Field Investigations I: Groundwater and Surface Water

Course: WRT152

First Term: 2020 Fall

Lec + Lab 3.0 Credit(s) 6.0 Period(s) 6.0 Load
Subject Type: Occupational
Load Formula: T - Lab Load

Description: Hands-on experience and field exercises to acquire surface water and groundwater data and service data-gathering equipment. Hands-on experience in surface water data collection while stressing safe practices. Map reading and navigation, field inspections, accessing, collecting, and recording surface water and groundwater data. Safety procedures stressed.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Observe specific well construction sites and describe construction methods, rocks penetrated, change in water levels, yields of wells, and procedures to document inventories of wells. (I) 2. Service specific field equipment including gages, steel/electrical tapes, and water level monitoring recorders and use them to determine pumping levels, discharge measurements, and water levels. (II) 3. Report the occurrence and availability of groundwater in specific areas. (III) 4. Report on geologic and hydrologic conditions at specific public or industrial water supply locations. (IV) 5. Measure time draw-down/distance draw-down and calculate their relationship. (V) 6. Utilize maps and Global Positioning System (GPS) units to navigate. (VI) 7. Perform field inspections of surface water sites. (VII) 8. Record data using best practices and appropriate forms. (VIII) 9. Demonstrate the steps and apply the methods for determining velocity, stage, and discharge of stream flows. (IX) 10. Use and service field equipment at gaging stations. (X) 11. Compute discharge from stream flow measurements. (XI) 12. Identify high-water and point-of-zero-flow marks. (XI) 13. Apply safety procedures during all field assignments. (XII)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Well construction/inventory A. Method B. Rock types C. Rock penetration rate D. Water level changes E. Documentation F. Yield of well G. Safety II. Field equipment-using/servicing A. Gages B. Steel tapes C. Electric tapes D. Recorders E. Other F. Safety III. Specific groundwater areas A. Occurrence B. Availability C. Report IV. Public/industrial supply conditions A. Geologic B. Hydrologic V. Draw-down A. Time/distance B. Calculations C. Safety VI. Navigation A. Topographic map B. Global Positioning System (GPS) VII. Field inspection VIII. Data recording A. Accuracy B. Use of data sheets (or measurement notes) IX. Stream flow measurement A. Measurement methods B. Width C. Depth D. Velocity X. Field equipment use and servicing A. Stage 1. Wading rod 2. Stilling well 3. Float-tape gage 4. Crest stage gage 5. Wire-weight 6. Staff gage 7. Bubbler systems 8. Pressure transducers B. Velocity 1. Rotating meter 2. Radar 3. Acoustic C. Data collection and processing 1. Headset 2. Aquacalc 3. Flow tracker 4. Data loggers XI. Discharge computations A. Data sheets (or measurement notes) B. Velocity C. Discharge D. Indirect measurement identification 1. High water marks 2. Point of zero flow marks XII. Safety procedures A. River safety B. In-water safety C. Bank safety D. Canal/channel safety E. Bridge safety

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: February 25, 2020

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.