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Aquitardifer: A New Hydrogeologic Term for Geologic Materials with both Aquitard and Aquifer Properties.

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Teaching Aquitard Concepts With Field-Based High-Resolution Head Profile Learning Activities.

Jessica R Meyer¹, Stephanie Tassier-Surine², Bradley Cramer¹

¹School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.

|December 15, 2025

Summary

This study introduces classroom and field activities to teach the importance of aquitards, which are crucial for hydrogeologic processes. High-resolution head profiles help students understand and delineate these low-permeability layers.

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Area of Science:

Hydrogeology
Environmental Science
Geoscience Education

Background:

Aquitards are essential components of groundwater systems, influencing flow and contaminant transport.
Introductory hydrogeology curricula often lack sufficient focus on aquitard characterization.
Effective teaching of aquitard hydrogeology requires hands-on activities and detailed data analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

To provide educators with practical classroom and field activities focused on aquitards.
To enhance student understanding of aquitard function and delineation using high-resolution head profiles.
To highlight the limitations of conventional well data for characterizing aquitards.

Main Methods:

Classroom activity involving conceptual head profile sketching based on hydrogeologic scenarios.
Field exercise using multilevel systems (CMT) to measure high-resolution head profiles.
Comparison of high-resolution head profiles with data from conventional monitoring wells.

Main Results:

Students can visualize the relationship between vertical gradients and hydraulic conductivity.
High-resolution head profiles offer superior detail for aquitard delineation compared to conventional wells.
Field exercises provide practical experience in interpreting hydrogeologic data and understanding measurement uncertainty.

Conclusions:

Integrating aquitard-focused activities improves hydrogeology education.
High-resolution head profiling is a valuable technique for characterizing aquitards.
Enhanced understanding of aquitards is vital for addressing water resource and waste disposal challenges.