What Does A Hydrogeologist Do?

WHAT DOES A HYDROGEOLOGIST DO?

Published: Aug 11, 2025 - The Hydrogeologist plans and coordinates field programs, supervises drilling, well installations, and sampling, and manages data collection and interpretation to define hydrogeological conditions. This role conducts investigations, develops groundwater models, and prepares technical reports. The Hydrogeologist also works with multidisciplinary teams, supports client liaison, and ensures successful project delivery.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Hydrogeologist

1. Hydrogeologist Responsibilities

Technical Leadership: Provide senior technical support to hydrogeologists and lead baseline studies in a variety of projects, including water sourcing, hydrogeological assessments, groundwater sustainability, and environmental impact assessments
System Inspection: Maintain and inspect water supply systems
Engineering Review: Review and provide input into studies for engineering design of mine facilities, such as seepage analyses and estimating groundwater inflows to open pits and underground mines
Field Program Design: Design field programs
Mine Water Management: Provide general input to mine water management
Dewatering System Design: Design dewatering systems to support the construction of dams, open pits, and underground mines
Geotechnical Analysis: Conduct geotechnical studies, including reviewing groundwater data
Groundwater Modeling: Guide numerical groundwater modeling studies
Client Relations: Work directly with clients and stakeholders, building relationships and developing business opportunities
Professional Registration: Registration or eligibility for registration as a Professional Geoscientist or Engineer with EGBC

2. Hydrogeologist Job Summary

Groundwater Studies: Leading groundwater baseline studies to support impact assessments, including overseeing and designing field programs
Water Management: Providing general input to mine water management
Dewatering Design: Designing dewatering systems to support the construction of dams, open pits, and underground mines
Data Review: Reviewing groundwater data collected as part of geotechnical studies
Modeling Guidance: Guiding numerical groundwater modeling studies
Water Assessment: Assessing water supply and availability
Client Relations: Dealing directly with clients and stakeholders, and developing business opportunities
Staff Mentoring: Mentoring and training junior and intermediate staff

3. Hydrogeologist Accountabilities

Technical Review: Deliver technical reviews and advise on hydrogeological issues to internal and external clients
Client Development: Develop and implement plans that build client relationships and create project contacts
Market Analysis: Understand and interpret the national and local market, highlighting prospects and stewarding them to opportunities and proposals
Best Practices: Develop and manage best practice approaches and technologies for hydrogeological assessment and related decision-making
Scope Development: Develop and implement scopes of work (costed proposals) for projects related
System Characterization: Characterization and conceptualization of hydrogeological systems
Groundwater Assessment: Groundwater supply development, groundwater inflow assessments
Dewatering Operations: Execute dewatering and depressurization, seepage assessments, managed aquifer recharge
Team Leadership: Lead teams in the delivery of groundwater management advice
Project Management: Manage projects including project scoping, budget control, planning, development of schedules, and coordination of resources to meet completion deadlines
Strategy Support: Support the implementation of the Mining, Aus/NZ, and AMEA Golder strategies
Staff Development: Lead, mentor, and coach colleagues concerning their career growth and technical professional development and actively transfer knowledge
Safety Leadership: Provide leadership and drive a strong culture in the areas of Health, Safety, Sustainability, and Environment

4. Senior Hydrogeologist Functions

Project Management: Manage projects, with a focus on groundwater modeling, quality management, and technical delivery of modeling reports
Technical Advisory: Provide technical advice on complex hydrogeological issues to clients and internal staff
Program Planning: Plan, supervise, and deliver hydrogeological investigation and testing programs
Testing Methods: Use a range of hydraulic testing methods and utilize a range of hydrogeological monitoring equipment
Model Development: Develop detailed hydrogeological conceptual models and groundwater modeling studies
Data Interpretation: Interpret and undertake reporting on geological and hydrogeological data
Modeling Tools: Use a variety of tools, including analytical and numerical groundwater models, to predict the behavior of groundwater systems
Proposal Writing: Prepare high-quality proposals, tenders, reports, and deliverables for clients
Quality Delivery: Ensure projects are delivered on time and on budget to ensure that the client’s expectations are consistently exceeded
Team Mentoring: Mentor and coach team colleagues concerning their career growth and professional development (with a focus on groundwater modeling)

5. Hydrogeologist Job Description

Proposal Preparation: Prepare technically and commercially astute proposals for studies to support the development of international mining operations
Project Involvement: Involved in technically complex and challenging projects for mining operations, responsible for the technical delivery of water resources chapters for all levels of study, from scoping to bankable feasibility
Baseline Input: Provide input for water chapters in baseline and ESIA studies
Site Visits: Undertake infrequent, short-duration, international mine visits to support the production of technical deliverables
Groundwater Modeling: Undertake or contribute to 3D groundwater modeling projects
Team Support: Support junior team members to guide them in the development of water technical studies for international mining projects
Water Contribution: Involved in water input to UK projects, including infrastructure, ground engineering, planning, and permitting, depending on skill set
Organizational Skills: Demonstrates excellent written and organizational skills with a proven understanding of budgets and deadlines

6. Senior Hydrogeologist - Technical Lead Overview

Technical Expertise: Provide technical expertise and/or support for geologic and hydrogeologic investigations, including data collection, management, and interpretation, geologic and hydrogeologic visualizations, analytical and numerical groundwater flow modeling, contaminated site investigation and characterization, and development of conceptual site models at complex sites
Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Work with engineers, GIS specialists, and other environmental experts to contribute to larger multidisciplinary projects
Document Preparation: Assist with the preparation of technical documents, including work plans, reports, proposals, calculations, and cost estimates
Remedy Design: Design, evaluate, and implement components of environmental remedies in the office and field, including use of a variety of remedial alternatives/technologies (e.g., enhanced bioremediation, thermal treatment) and operation and maintenance of remedial systems (e.g., pump and treat)
Drilling Oversight: Design and oversee drilling activities, including monitoring wells, direct push installations, and maintenance activities
Sampling Support: Interface with sampling teams to troubleshoot issues
Driller Coordination: Interface and/or oversee well drillers
Multitasking: Work on many different tasks and projects, sometimes simultaneously

7. Hydrogeologist Details and Accountabilities

Field Operations: Perform field work following Wood’s training program, including subcontractor management, logging soil borings, overseeing groundwater monitoring well installations, and collecting soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment samples, as well as documenting field activities
Project Setup: Set up field projects, including permitting, hiring subcontractors, coordinating with staff, laboratories, and subcontractors, and obtaining necessary equipment
Safety Compliance: Ensure projects are performed safely
Data Management: Perform data review and management
Report Drafting: Draft portions of reports documenting field and other efforts
Client Communication: Assist the Project Manager and team in ensuring effective client and regulatory agency communication and relations
Safety Standards: Follow company safety standards, site safety standards, and provide all required permitting
Team Collaboration: Maintain a positive attitude and be a team player

8. Hydrogeologist Tasks

Plan Development: Support the development and maintenance of effective Mine Dewatering and Surplus Water Management Plans
Program Design: Design drilling and test pumping programs and analyse the data to develop an understanding of the key elements of groundwater flow systems as related to dewatering, surplus water management, impact assessment, and mine closure
Network Design: Design effective groundwater monitoring networks, collect and QA/QC hydrogeological field data and draw technical conclusions
Model Development: Contribute to the development of detailed hydrogeological conceptual models to be used as the basis for dewatering and surplus water infrastructure design
Study Leadership: Lead technical hydrogeological studies, with support, and communicate findings in reports and presentations
Risk Assessment: Provide input to the assessment and management of water-related geotechnical risks
Site Support: Support site-based hydrogeologists in conducting ongoing performance review and optimisation of dewatering and surplus water management infrastructure
Modeling Expertise: Develop numerical groundwater flow and contaminant transport models to support environmental impact assessments, water budget analyses, dewatering programs and design of groundwater extraction systems using software packages such as Groundwater Vistas, FEFLOW.

9. Hydrogeologist or Geologist Roles

Field Support: Assist with soil, surface water, and groundwater sampling, drilling, contractor oversight, and remediation treatment system operation and maintenance
Data Analysis: Conduct hydrogeologic and geologic data analyses, including potentiometric surface mapping, preparing boring logs and cross sections, quantitative analysis, and groundwater modeling
System Design: Perform remediation system design, installation oversight, and O\&M
Contaminant Evaluation: Conduct chemical data and contaminant fate and transport evaluation
Remediation Assessment: Evaluate groundwater and soil remediation, cost estimation, design calculations, and implementation
Data Visualization: Perform data analysis and visualization of site investigation data, including the preparation of tables, maps, and figures using both industry-standard and cutting-edge applications
Report Writing: Write technical reports, letters, memoranda, plans, specifications, and proposals
Data Interpretation: Interpret and report groundwater flow and aqueous geochemistry data

10. Geologist or Hydrogeologist Additional Details

Field Investigation: Assist with the planning and execution of field investigations by performing field tests, collecting samples, collecting and recording data, and performing routine calculations
Construction Monitoring: Monitor construction projects by taking various tests to evaluate whether the contractor or subcontractor has complied with job specifications
Problem Solving: Identify and implement solutions to routine field and/or laboratory problems and accurately document results
Report Preparation: Prepare reports documenting field investigations and analytical results
Log Preparation: Prepare a variety of standard logs and field forms (such as drilling logs, field investigation dailies, and chain of custody logs)
Issue Resolution: Identify and implement solutions to routine field problems and document them accurately, keeping the project manager informed of problems encountered during work assignments
Document Preparation: Assist with tasks associated with the preparation and modification of various engineering documents, including reports, specifications, plans, cost estimates, and designs for projects
Model Development: Develop 3D hydrogeological conceptual models using software packages such as Leapfrog, Earth Volumetric Studio, Surfer, and more

11. Hydrogeologist Essential Functions

Model Development: Development of hydrogeologic conceptual models
Model Calibration: Development and calibration of regional hydrologic and groundwater models and application to water resources projects
Quality Modeling: Development, calibration, and application of groundwater quality models
Result Interpretation: Interpreting model results to support policy and regulatory processes
Data Analysis: Performing data analysis, visualization, mapping, and management with an emphasis on water resources data
Water Planning: Performing groundwater management and planning, land use analysis, and agricultural and urban water analysis
Code Development: Developing code to support and analyze modeling projects
International Support: Supporting offices and internationally

12. Hydrogeologist Role Purpose

Program Coordination: Assisting with the planning, scheduling, and coordination of field programs as well as undertaking field monitoring, data collation, and database management
Field Supervision: Supervising field drilling and well installations, single and multi-well testing, and sampling activities
Data Interpretation: Collating and interpreting climate, geological data/maps, groundwater level and water quality data, and other information to define hydrogeological systems
Hydrochemistry Knowledge: Developing knowledge and understanding of hydrochemistry and its importance in defining baseline conditions and groundwater processes
Data Analysis: Using computer programs to analyse pumping test data and developing conceptual models of groundwater systems
Report Preparation: Preparing proposals, reports, and deliverables for intermediate and senior staff review
Client Support: Providing support for client liaison, project management, and delivery
Team Collaboration: Working within a team of hydrogeologists, geologists, geochemists, and groundwater modellers on a wide variety of projects
Investigation Implementation: Implementing hydrogeological investigations including drilling and logging of soil and rock core, soil, rock, groundwater and vapour sampling, borehole instrumentation, monitoring well design and installation, and aquifer testing

13. Hydrogeologist General Responsibilities

Project Leadership: Lead and manage remediation projects for impaired surface waterbodies by using project management methodologies related to scheduling, budgeting, contract management, stakeholder management, and risk identification and mitigation
Contract Coordination: Coordinate with external contractors and ensure projects are within scope, schedule, and budget
Technical Oversight: Provide technical expertise, as well as support, and oversee hydrogeological and remediation designs, proposals, and plans
Permit Facilitation: Facilitate proper permitting and clearance for remediation projects with other state and federal agencies (i.e. Clean Water Act Section 404, National Historic Preservation Act, Endangered Species Act)
Field Evaluation: Collect and evaluate field measurements like surface water samples, surface water flows, biocriteria samples, and XRF soil sampling
Field Operations: Conduct field work and collect surface water quality samples, maintain and deploy sampling equipment, coordinate lab analysis and data entry, and synthesize results
Progress Management: Utilize ADEQ’s visual management and Lean tools to effectively manage projects and measure progress
Research Support: Conduct hydrogeological research for well siting and design studies

14. Hydrogeologist Key Accountabilities

Project Management: Manage a range of environmental and contaminated land projects
Program Planning: Plan and implement field investigation groundwater programmes
Site Supervision: Supervise intrusive site investigation
Data Management: Collect, manage, and interpret analytical data
Report Preparation: Prepare interpretive reports, including contaminated land and hydrogeological risk assessments
Impact Assessment: Conduct hydrogeological Environmental Impact Assessments to form part of Environmental Impact Assessment Reports (EIARs)
Client Liaison: Liaise with clients and subcontractors
Risk Modelling: Perform detailed quantitative control of water risk assessment and modelling

15. Hydrogeologist Roles and Details

Drilling Supervision: Assist with hydro-drilling supervision, including well design, drill logging, and pump testing
Geochemical Testing: Perform field geochemical measurements
Safety Support: Assist with safety inspections and daily reporting
Water Analysis: Assist with water balance computation and aquifer conceptualization
Dewatering Planning: Get involved with pit dewatering planning and numerical modelling
Field Investigation: Conduct field hydrogeology investigation, measurements, and sampling
Data Analysis: Provide data collation and QA analysis of early interpretations (test data)
Team Collaboration: Work closely with the drilling crews and field technicians

16. Hydrogeologist Responsibilities and Key Tasks

Data Analysis: Perform routine data analysis to identify spatial and temporal trends in hydrogeological data, including water levels, pumping, chemical concentrations, precipitation, and streamflow
Model Development: Develop three-dimensional conceptual site models that integrate multidisciplinary data and interpretations
Numerical Modeling: Develop and execute numerical groundwater flow and transport models to support permitting, dewatering investigations, water balance estimation, feasibility studies, remedial design, and performance monitoring
Workflow Optimization: Develop and implement consistent workflows to streamline data processing and provide high-quality visual interpretations, including hydrostratigraphic cross sections, potentiometric surface maps, plume maps, chemical cross sections, and time-series plots for multiple data types
Report Preparation: Work with other scientists and engineers to prepare technical reports, work plans, and presentations to clients, regulators, and other stakeholders
Field Investigations: Plan and execute field investigations, including drilling, logging, monitoring well installation and development, aquifer testing, geophysical surveys, and soil, surface water, and groundwater sampling
Safety Compliance: Follow company safety standards, participate in safety training, and prepare and implement site safety plans
Site Travel: Travel to project sites in the US and international locations for multiple days

17. Hydrogeologist Duties and Roles

Lithologic Logging: Perform lithologic logging during drilling projects
Geophysical Inspection: Inspect geophysical logging
Sample Analysis: Conduct sieve analyses of samples
Level Monitoring: Monitor groundwater levels
Quality Sampling: Perform groundwater quality sampling
Data Collection: Collect data during pumping tests
Data Analysis: Analyze the pumping test data
Report Assistance: Assist with the preparation of reports
Well Design: Prepare well-construction design drawings
Field Documentation: Document daily field activities
Specification Preparation: Prepare well the construction technical specifications
Map Preparation: Prepare maps, charts, tables, and other exhibits for analysis and reporting
Report Writing: Prepare reports and technical memoranda
Water Analysis: Analyze the pumping test and water quality data
Model Data Processing: Compile and process data necessary for conceptual and numerical models

18. Hydrogeologist Roles and Responsibilities

Field Management: Coordinate, perform, and manage a variety of field work including environmental assessments, environmental investigations, site inspections, soil, groundwater, soil vapor, surface water, and sediment sampling, soil logging, drilling, and subcontractor oversight
Equipment Coordination: Coordinate with vendors to obtain field equipment and supplies to support investigations
Report Preparation: Review and prepare field inspection reports and technical content for Phase I and Phase II reports, project planning documents, remedial documents, construction documents, and related materials
Data Interpretation: Interpret hydrogeological and chemical data and make recommendations pertaining to investigations and remediation approaches
Cleanup Oversight: Coordinate, perform, and manage site cleanup activities including underground storage tank removal, soil excavation, transport and disposal, and groundwater treatment
Model Leadership: Lead and oversee the development, calibration, and application of hydrogeologic conceptual and groundwater flow models for application to water resources projects
Result Interpretation: Interpret model results to support policy and regulatory processes
Client Management: Use established relationships with clients, stakeholders, and regulatory agencies to procure and manage the scope, schedule, budget, and delivery of project tasks
Program Design: Design site investigation and monitoring programs
Risk Assessment: Undertake WFD assessments and hydrogeological or hydrological risk assessments
Site Investigation: Design and interpret site investigations of contaminated media including soil, groundwater, surface water, soil gas, indoor air, and sediment
Feasibility Studies: Perform feasibility studies and prepare cost estimates
System Design: Design and implement soil vapor extraction and air sparge systems
Treatment Design: Design in situ groundwater treatments including EVO, ZVI, eZVI, ISCO, and ISCR
Technical Writing: Prepare technical reports, letters, memoranda, plans, specifications, and proposals
Project Management: Manage projects and communicate with clients and regulators

19. Geologist or Hydrogeologist Job Summary

Field Investigation: Assist with the planning and execution of field investigations by performing field tests, collecting samples, recording data, and performing routine calculations
Construction Monitoring: Monitor construction projects by conducting tests to evaluate whether contractors or subcontractors have complied with job specifications
Problem Solving: Identify and implement solutions to routine field and laboratory problems and accurately document results
Issue Resolution: Identify and implement solutions to routine field problems and document them accurately, keeping the project manager informed of issues encountered during work assignments
Document Preparation: Assist with tasks associated with the preparation and modification of various engineering documents including reports, specifications, plans, cost estimates, and designs for projects
Study Execution: Assist in the execution of hydrogeological studies including the development of conceptual site models, geological modeling, and numerical modeling applied to projects such as proposed, active, and abandoned mine sites, landfills, contaminated lands, and others
Proposal Support: Participate under the supervision of experienced hydrogeologists and engineers in the development of proposals, field work, data compilation and interpretation, and report writing
Team Collaboration: Work with a team of professionals on projects related to the assessment and remediation of environmental impacts for sites throughout the region
Redevelopment Assistance: Assist with brownfield redevelopment projects that may include local, state, or federal sites
Data Analysis: Perform data analysis, modeling, map and graphics preparation, and report preparation
Investigation Oversight: Oversee subsurface geologic investigations, sampling, and pumping or aquifer characteristics in the field

20. Hydrogeologist Essential Functions

Field Leadership: Lead field investigation programs, collect and analyze field data, and communicate and coordinate with clients and contractors
Well Operations: Conduct borehole logging, monitoring well installation, maintenance of groundwater wells, hydraulic well testing, and surface and groundwater sampling
Data Evaluation: Evaluate groundwater flow and chemistry data and prepare technical reports
Proposal Support: Support the team in preparing technical proposals
Schedule Management: Assist in managing work schedules and controlling budgets while working within a multidisciplinary team
Team Mentoring: Mentor junior team members
Regulatory Liaison: Liaise with regulatory authorities, landowners, and other third parties
Site Travel: Travel to project sites across Western and Northern Canada
Technical Support: Provide hydrogeological support, solutions, and verification for projects, and support technical interaction with stakeholders through all project stages
Investigation Management: Scope, manage, and interpret ground investigations to characterize the groundwater environment and support engineering design
Report Preparation: Prepare reports and interpret groundwater data to support design and groundwater management
Assessment Authoring: Author complex assessments and reports and conduct report reviews
External Communication: Promote external communications to the market by presenting at conferences and developing activities in the wider media

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