About the Groundwater Program

The demand for reliable water supplies and the requirements to protect them from pollution have put groundwater at the forefront of current environmental activity. In consequence, there is a continuing high demand in industry, regulatory agencies, and environmental consulting companies for qualified hydrogeologists and groundwater geochemists. In addition, universities, agencies, and geological surveys need such scientists to conduct further research into groundwater movement, aquifer characteristics, contaminant transport, and the interactions of rock and water.

Graduate studies in groundwater at the Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences at Northern Illinois University provide a comprehensive hydrogeological education with both practical preparation for professional employment and ample opportunity for research. Programs leading to both M.S. and Ph.D. are offered.

The department brings together an exceptional combination of faculty specializations in groundwater within an unusually broad range of geological expertise. The graduate student gains not only hydrogeological, geophysical, and geochemical training but also the ability to consider all the geological aspects of a groundwater problem - and the flexibility to adapt to changing environmental emphases and markets.

Theses and dissertations done in hydrogeology have included:

A complete list of theses and dissertations directed by Colin Booth is offered in his home pages.

Facilities available for research: The Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences has considerable hydrogeological field equipment for groundwater sampling, pump-testing, downhole monitoring, and well-site geochemistry. Departmental laboratories include facilities and major equipment for analysis of stable and radiogenic isotopes, major and trace elements, and organic and inorganic compounds in rocks and water. For geophysical field work, the department has resistivity, electromagnetics, and shallow seismic survey equipment.

Hydrogeology in the Illinois Region: Northern Illinois has abundant, but stressed, groundwater resources. Major bedrock aquifers supply much of the region's water. The overlying glacial deposits and shallow bedrock provide local supplies, control recharge to deeper aquifers, and are prone to contamination from waste disposal and other human activities. Chicago and its suburbs (only an hour's drive from DeKalb) are regional headquarters for major regulatory agencies and numerous companies engaged in environmental work in Illinois and throughout the Midwest.

Downstate, Illinois has an active coal mining industry and is also one of the world's major agricultural regions. The groundwater concerns and problems of the mining and agricultural industries provide further impetus for research and professional activity. Faculty and students have cooperated extensively in hydrogeological studies with the USGS, Illinois State Geological Survey, and other regional and local agencies.

Suggested Courses for graduate and undergraduate credit:

For graduate credit only:

Graduate seminar courses:

For more information on graduate study and assistantships please contact: