Redirection Training Exchange | Advanced Groundwater Investigations
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Advanced Groundwater Investigations
Hosted by Environmental Response Training Program(ERTP)
ERT - OSRTI

This 1-day, advanced groundwater course is designed to provide participants an opportunity to work in teams to apply their geologic and hydrogeologic skills to review and interpret data, develop an accurate conceptual site model (CSM), and complete a challenging site investigation. The problem involves contaminants and hydrogeologic conditions common to many Superfund sites: and requires familiarity with – and interpretation of – geological, geophysical, aquifer stress test, and contaminant data to support the CSM.The course is intended for on-scene coordinators, remedial project managers, and other site professionals with strong groundwater investigation experience.  Because this is a single day exercise/course, it is typically presented the same week and at the same location as (on the day immediately following completion of) the Introduction to Groundwater Investigations (IGWI) course.

Participants will be required to develop a conceptual site model (CSM) that will be revised throughout the exercise by reviewing and interpreting data that will be provided to them.  Participants will construct geologic cross-sections, subsurface lithology maps of aquifers and water-level and potentiometric groundwater surface maps using boring logs and geophysical logs.  Participants will also review groundwater analytical data from wells, plot and interpret aquifer stress test data and use all these results to work as a team to refine the CSM and establish source of contamination detected in a municipal water supply well.

At the beginning of the course, the instructors will supply brief descriptions of hydrogeologic setting of the area and a summary of the data sources that are provided in the course workbook.  They will then divide the participants into small groups. At multiple times during the day, each team will be asked to present its CSM, and the proposed next steps to refine it.  Each team will present a final CSM and its interpretation of the source of the contamination and its supporting rationale.

The students will accomplish the following objectives:

  • Develop and use the CSM as a tool to guide the investigation.
  • Work as project team to share responsibility of reviewing and interpreting an extensive amount of site data.
  • Refresh basic geologic/hydrogeologic concepts.
  • Apply geologic/hydrogeologic skills.
  • Solve challenging problems incorporating geologic analysis, aquifer test analysis, well log analysis, cross sections, and subsurface mapping.

This course is a classroom course requiring only one room.

Note – AGWI is typically offered sequentially in the same week and location as the Introduction to Groundwater Investigations (IGWI) course; however, it is not a direct follow-up course. AGWI requires application of additional skills and practical experience beyond the introductory concepts learned in the IGWI course. Participants must work as teams to review and interpret a variety data sources, with minimal instruction. For these reasons, the AGWI course will be best suited to participants who have additional career experience or training in conducting groundwater investigations.

Continuing Education Units: 0.7

Unless otherwise specified, THIS COURSE IS NOT OPEN TO CONSULTANTS, CONTRACTORS, OR ANY PRIVATE ENTITIES. 

*This course is offered free of charge to all registrants who are confirmed to attend*

In compliance with Executive Order 13589 - Promoting Efficient Spending, Section 5; the ERTP will not be regularly printing or providing students hard copies of the course manual. Students may obtain an electronic copy of the student manual for personal printing or e-reading by contacting the ERTP Registrar (ertp-registrar2@tetratech.com).

IMPORTANT NOTICES – Applicable to all ERTP courses :

  1. ERTP’s receipt of a Trainex course registration is a Registration Request, it is not a Guaranteed Enrollment in the Course. All ERTP training courses require applicant registration thru the Trainex system. Last minute course arrivals without prior ERTP Trainex course registration approval is not permitted. Before ERTP issues final approval to deliver any course and/or any EPA offices incurring expenses for the training event (including but not limited to EPA staff travel TA’s and/or ERTP training contractor expenses incurred), all EPA mandatory pre-approvals must all be met. The pre-approvals include (but are not limited to) the following:

    • Training location’s availability;
    • COVID status and/or other COVID Guidelines in effect for the location, as well as staff;
    • Agency limitations, scrutiny, and approvals of ‘Conference Spending Requirements (known as the “5170”)’ for the specific training course(s) scheduled delivery timeframe;
    • Weather (blizzard, hurricane, etc);
    • Contractual number of available course training slots;
    • EPA training location staff having priority registration over all other registrations; and/or
    • Hosting site Training Coordinator approval.

    In the event a course is subsequently postponed or canceled, or notification of registration cancellation is received, all EPA travel arrangements (airline/car rental/hotel) should be canceled in a timely manner. Registered students will receive a notification via email if/when a course is postponed and/or cancelled.
     
  2. For in-person course deliveries, confirmed course registered participants must abide by all facility physical access requirements for the location (examples: check-in at the security gate, Federal ID, Government PIV/CAC cards, photo id’s, etc.). If applicable for the course or location, restrictions may apply to non-citizens and acceptable identification may be required for facility entry.
For general information contact Registrar by telephone at 513-251-7669 or via e-mail at ertp-registrar2@tetratech.com

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