It is important that the students at the Institute for Groundwater Studies are exposed to the practical issues of groundwater. A field trip is arranged for the new students to at least two different locations annually.
Students spend the first two days in the field, studying the interaction between geology and groundwater flow. This normally occurs in the Drakensberg, where the origin of rivers, interflow, baseflow and numerous other issues are addressed.
Groundwater plays an important role in the industry, especially regarding water volumes, the availability and the contamination thereof. The second part of the field trip is therefore industry-related and may include a mine, a power station, or a petrochemical site.