Groundwater Exploration and Management

INTERNATIONAL TRAINING ON GROUNDWATER EXPLORATION AND MANAGEMENT

COURSE BACKGROUND

Groundwater represents the largest accessible reservoir of freshwater globally and is a critical resource for drinking water, irrigation, and industrial use, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. In many parts of East Africa, including Kenya, groundwater serves as the primary or sole source of water for millions of people, particularly during drought periods when surface water sources dwindle. However, this hidden resource is increasingly under threat from over-abstraction, pollution from agricultural, industrial, and domestic sources, and the uncertain impacts of climate change on aquifer recharge. Effective and sustainable management of groundwater requires a specialized understanding of its occurrence, movement, quality, and the advanced techniques for its exploration, development, and protection. Without proper management, groundwater resources face depletion, contamination, and irreversible damage, jeopardizing long-term water security.

ECAS Institute offers this “Groundwater Exploration and Management” course to equip hydrologists, geologists, engineers, environmental managers, policymakers, and development practitioners with the essential knowledge and practical skills for responsible and sustainable groundwater development and management. This program will cover the entire spectrum, from understanding hydrogeological principles and exploration methods to implementing sustainable abstraction strategies, protecting aquifer quality, and applying modern management tools.

COURSE OBJECTIVES OF THE TRAINING

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the fundamental principles of hydrogeology including aquifer types, groundwater flow, and interaction with surface water.
2. Apply various groundwater exploration techniques, including geological mapping, geophysical surveys, and drilling methods.
3. Design and supervise borehole drilling, well construction, and aquifer testing (pumping tests).
4. Characterize groundwater quality parameters, identify pollution sources, and develop monitoring programs.
5. Develop and implement sustainable groundwater abstraction strategies to prevent over-exploitation and ensure aquifer longevity.
6. Utilize numerical models, GIS, and remote sensing tools for groundwater resource assessment and management.
7. Understand the legal, institutional, and socio-economic aspects of groundwater governance and management.
8. Design and implement groundwater protection and artificial recharge schemes.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

This course will provide you with a specialized and practical understanding of groundwater resources, enabling you to play a key role in their sustainable exploration, development, and management. You will learn to:

• Interpret hydrogeological maps and cross-sections to understand groundwater occurrence.
• Select appropriate geophysical methods (e.g., Vertical Electrical Sounding, TEM) for groundwater prospecting.
• Supervise borehole drilling operations and ensure proper well design for sustainable yield.
• Conduct and analyze pumping test data to determine aquifer parameters and well performance.
• Identify common groundwater contaminants and their pathways, and design effective monitoring networks.
• Develop management plans to balance groundwater abstraction with natural recharge, preventing depletion.
• Apply GIS for spatial analysis of groundwater data and basic groundwater modeling concepts.
• Formulate policies and regulations for groundwater licensing, abstraction, and pollution control.
• Explore innovative approaches like Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) to enhance groundwater storage.
• Communicate complex hydrogeological information to non-technical stakeholders and decision-makers.

DURATION AND PROGRAM

This is a structured training course designed for in-depth learning, blending theoretical hydrogeological principles with practical exploration and management techniques. The program will incorporate expert-led lectures, practical exercises, case studies (including relevant examples from Kenya and other arid/semi-arid regions facing groundwater challenges), and potentially virtual tours or demonstrations of field equipment and analytical software. Emphasis will be placed on real-world problem-solving and decision-making for sustainable groundwater use. The detailed program schedule, including specific session timings and learning activities, will be communicated upon registration.

TARGET PARTICIPANTS

This course is essential for professionals and practitioners working directly with groundwater resources, or those involved in water resource planning, environmental management, and infrastructure development. It is highly beneficial for:

• Hydrologists and Hydrogeologists
• Geologists and Geoscientists
• Water Engineers and Borehole Drillers
• Environmental Scientists and Managers
• Water Resource Planners and Managers
• Government Officials from Water, Environment, Mining, and Planning ministries/agencies.
• NGO and Development Agency Staff working on water supply and sanitation.
• Agricultural Specialists involved in irrigation planning.
• Researchers and Academics in earth sciences and water resources.
• Consultants specializing in groundwater development projects.

TRAINING MODULES

The course is structured to provide a comprehensive and progressive understanding of groundwater exploration and management:

No	Module	Details
1.	Fundamentals of Hydrogeology	This module provides the foundational scientific understanding of groundwater occurrence, movement, and interaction within the broader hydrological cycle. Key Topics: The global hydrological cycle with focus on groundwater Aquifer properties: Porosity, Permeability, Transmissivity, Storativity Types of aquifers: Unconfined, Confined, Perched Groundwater flow principles: Darcy’s Law and hydraulic gradient Groundwater-surface water interactions: Rivers, lakes, wetlands, and springs Groundwater balance and recharge processes.
2.	Groundwater Exploration Techniques	This module covers the methodologies used to locate and characterize groundwater resources, from initial reconnaissance to detailed site investigation. Key Topics: Desk studies and remote sensing for hydrogeological mapping (GIS, satellite imagery) Geological and geomorphological mapping for groundwater prospecting Geophysical methods for groundwater exploration: Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES), ElectroMagnetic (EM) methods Hydrogeological field surveys and data collection Planning a groundwater exploration campaign.
3.	Borehole Drilling, Well Construction, and Aquifer Testing	This module focuses on the practical aspects of developing groundwater sources, from drilling to assessing well performance and aquifer characteristics. Key Topics: Borehole drilling methods and equipment (rotary, percussion) Well design and construction: Casing, screens, gravel pack, sanitary seal Well development techniques Pumping tests: Step-drawdown, constant rate tests, recovery tests Analysis of pumping test data for aquifer parameters (Transmissivity, Storativity) and sustainable yield.
4.	Groundwater Quality Assessment and Pollution	This module addresses the critical aspect of groundwater quality, including its natural variations, major pollutants, and methods for monitoring and protecting quality. Key Topics: Natural groundwater quality: Major ions, trace elements Groundwater pollution sources: Agricultural (nitrates, pesticides), Industrial, Domestic (septic tanks, landfills), Salinization (coastal, irrigation) Groundwater contaminant transport processes Designing groundwater quality monitoring networks Sampling methods and laboratory analysis for groundwater.
5.	Sustainable Groundwater Management	This module delves into the strategies and approaches necessary to manage groundwater resources in a way that ensures their long-term availability and quality. Key Topics: Concepts of sustainable yield and safe yield Balancing abstraction with recharge rates Groundwater protection zones and land-use planning for aquifer protection Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) techniques: Spreading basins, injection wells, in-channel modifications Groundwater banking and conjunctive use with surface water.
6.	Groundwater Modeling and Data Management	This module introduces the use of computational tools for understanding, predicting, and managing groundwater flow and contaminant transport. Key Topics: Conceptual model development for groundwater systems Introduction to groundwater flow and transport models (e.g., MODFLOW concepts) Application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for groundwater data management and visualization Remote sensing applications for assessing groundwater-related features (e.g., land subsidence, soil moisture) Decision support systems for groundwater management.
7.	Groundwater Governance, Policy, and Case Studies	This module covers the institutional, legal, and socio-economic frameworks crucial for effective groundwater governance, illustrated by real-world examples. Key Topics: Legal and regulatory frameworks for groundwater abstraction and quality control (e.g., Water Act in Kenya) Groundwater licensing and permitting systems Institutional roles and responsibilities in groundwater management Community participation and groundwater user associations Challenges in groundwater governance: Data scarcity, informal abstraction, transboundary aquifers Case studies of successful and challenging groundwater management initiatives (e.g., addressing over-abstraction in specific Kenyan aquifers, coastal salinization issues, managed aquifer recharge projects).

TRAINING STYLE

The modules will be taught through PowerPoint presentations, and lectures and will include a case study/field visit, breakout sessions, case studies and other interactive discussion components.

The course will also include a few guest speakers, both in person and via Zoom and other online learning platforms for overseas speakers. This provides useful real-world insights alongside the more theoretical aspects of the course.

The conference faculty shall consist of experienced decision makers, as well as practitioners and representatives from established educational and research institutions active around climate change, engineering and international development. Throughout the course, theoretical presentation of concepts will be moderated and more group discussions and plenary engagements will be optimized. PowerPoint presentations will be made by facilitators and resource persons, to highlight key concepts before embarking on group work.

GENERAL NOTES

• Training manuals and additional reference materials are provided to the participants.
• Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be issued with a certificate.
• We can also do this as a tailor-made course to meet organization-wide needs. Contact us to find out more: info@ecasiafrica.org.
• Payment should be sent to our bank account before the start of training and proof of payment sent to: info@ecasiafrica.org.

ABOUT ECAS INSTITUTE

The ECAS Institute designs and delivers independent and targeted training, research, and consulting services. Our work focusses on climate change and resilience building, carbon markets, renewable energy, nature-based solution, biodiversity conservation, agriculture and food systems, We are located in Nairobi Kenya and work across the African region. We have implemented training and research assignments in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Somalia, Malawi, Rwanda, Congo, and South Africa. Globally, we have supported our partners from the UK, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, Germany, and USA.