GEOS 348 Environmental Geology

ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY LINKAGES BETWEEN SOUND SCIENCE AND POLICY INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH WITHIN THE SCIENCES MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH WITHIN ALL DISCIPLINES

EXAMPLES DECISION TO BUILD IN HAZARD PRONE AREAS DISPOSAL OF TOXIC AND RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN GEOLOGIC MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT OF WATER RESOURCES BOTH GROUND AND SURFACE WATERS

Earthquakes

Flooding in Mozambique February 2000

Sinkholes: Berry College

Copper Basin, TN- Burra Burra Mine

ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY WHAT DOES THE TERM ENVIRONMENTAL MEAN? INTERACTION OF HUMANS AND THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL & BIOLOGICAL EARTH WHAT IS GEOLOGY? THE STUDY OF THE PHYSICAL EARTH- INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PROCESSES

ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY THE PRESENT DAY CONCERNS HUMAN ACTIONS ARE CAUSING ADVERSE ENV. CHANGE DECREASING BIODIVERSITY THE EVENTUALITY THAT HUMANS WILL SUFFER THE SAME FATE IN THE FUTURE THE FAILURE OF HUMANS TO ADAPT TO CHANGE WILL PUT MORE HUMANS AT RISK

The environmental geology discipline, often called engineering geology, involves studies, investigations, and reviews that often include an analysis of : a) environmental hazards, such as growth faults in urban areas, water well failures, hillside slumping, landslides, subsidence, etc., b) soil contamination, as a result of leaks from service stations, and other industrial sources of leaks, spills, and accidents, c) associated ground-water contamination requiring remediation, and d) other subsurface conditions requiring sampling and geologic interpretation and assessment of hydrogeologic data and hydrochemical analyses. Subsequent evaluations require: e) a definition and interpretation of correlative subsurface lithology and stratigraphy, f) an evaluation of local hydrogeologic conditions for dewatering of open- cut and underground mines, g) an assessment of the potential development of drinking water supplies and associated impact of contaminants on the ground-water resources, h) an assessment of risk exposure from any potential contaminant on human health and the environment, and i) a cost-benefit analyses of all applicable remedial approaches to clean- up.

Origins of the “Environmental Movement” THE ‘RADICAL’ MOVEMENTS OF THE 1960’S AND 1970’S AS A CATALYST FOR CHANGE THE ROOTS- 1960’S RACHAEL CARSON SILENT SPRING NEPA [NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT]

THE SCIENCE OF GEOLOGY 1795 THEORY OF THE EARTH- JAMES HUTTON “THE PRESENT IS THE KEY TO THE PAST”  TO UNDERSTAND THE EVOLUTION OF THE EARTH THROUGH TIME BY OBSERVING NATURAL PHENOMENA  TO UNDERSTAND HOW GRADUALISTIC CHANGES COUPLED WITH CATASTROPHIC PROCESSES CHANGE AND SCULPT THE EARTH

THE SCIENCE OF GEOLOGY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS BY;  MAPPING PRESENT PATTERNS OF SURFACE AND SUBSURFACE MATERIALS  DEVELOPING MODELS OF THE WAY THE PLANET WORKS  PREDICTING AND FORECASTING FUTURE EVENTS BASED ON PRESENT DAY KNOWLEDGE

THE SCIENCE OF GEOLOGY ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY APPLIES THE FIRST TWO POINTS AND CENTERS ON THE THIRD “THE PAST AND THE PRESENT ARE THE KEYS TO THE FUTURE”

AIMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY  TO DECREASE ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS TO HUMANS  TO AID IN MINIMIZING ADVERSE EFFECTS ON ECOSYSTEMS TO PROVIDE A SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATION FOR DECISION-MAKING WITH TOLERABLE RISKS AND WITHIN COST

INCREASING SOCIETAL BENEFITS COSTS $$$$$ DIMINISHING RETURNS

Associated Problems Placed in a context of litigation, each of the above activities, analyses, evaluations, or assessments may have been conducted in a biased manner, by inadequate methods, or by personnel without appropriate training and experience and the associated professional certifications and/or state licenses. These actions contribute, to one extent or another, to "errors and omissions," which can lead to unnecessary financial losses or injury to human health and/or the environment.

Litigation Litigation is common in cases where a contaminant is found on the water table at depth in the subsurface but has migrated beyond a property boundary. Other types of contamination sink through the water table, seeking subsurface avenues to sink to even greater depths. –What damage has occurred? –Who has been exposed and damaged, and for what duration? –Who is responsible for the damage and for the cost of clean-up? –These are all typical questions and elements encountered in many cases.

Additional Information:

Other Useful Websites –United States Geological Service –Center for Earth and Planetary Studies Geologyhttp:// Geology –Geology and mineral sciences = &CFTOKEN= http:// = &CFTOKEN= –National Library for the Environment