Spring 2027

Groundwater Flow Modeling

Introduction to groundwater flow modeling principles, emphasizing regional flow system analysis, conceptual understanding of governing equations, finite difference techniques, and USGS packaged models like MODFLOW.

offering recorded3 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Michael Cardiff3.7/5

Summary

1 / 2

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2012: 3.57 GPA, 85.7% A/AB (n=14 letter grades); Fall 2014: 3.85 GPA, 92.3% A/AB (n=13 letter grades); Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=1 letter grades).

What you’ll be able to do

  • Formulate a groundwater flow problem as a PDE-based mathematical statement from first principles (conservation of mass, conservation), and summarize how different governing equations are derived.

  • Develop an algebraic approximation of a PDE and solve the algebraic equation using direct or iterative methods.

  • Apply the USGS software MODFLOW intelligently and recognize the inherent assumptions in different options and packages.

  • Evaluate model predictions and uncertainty using model refinement, testing, and calibration.

Source: UW Guide 1 UW Guide 2

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

Graduate/professional standing

  • Graduate/professional standing
GEOSCI/GLE 724

This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • Graduate/professional standing

Professors

Spring 2027
Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.73/5 from 22 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2012: 3.57 GPA, 85.7% A/AB (n=14 letter grades); Fall 2014: 3.85 GPA, 92.3% A/AB (n=13 letter grades); Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=1 letter grades).

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

MICHAEL CARDIFF is recorded teaching in Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Fall 2019, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 00
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 150

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
Download part 1

Student experience

the class

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2012: 3.57 GPA, 85.7% A/AB (n=14 letter grades); Fall 2014: 3.85 GPA, 92.3% A/AB (n=13 letter grades); Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=1 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

No workload feedback recorded.

Topics

  • Groundwater flow system modeling and regional flow analysis
  • Governing equations and finite difference techniques
  • USGS packaged models

Skills

  • Formulating groundwater flow problems as PDE-based mathematical statements
  • Developing and solving algebraic approximations of PDEs
  • Applying USGS software MODFLOW
  • Evaluating model predictions and uncertainty

Grades

Latest available · Spring 2022— not enough history to project Spring 2027.

average GPA
A / AB grades
letter grades
Instructor

Grade distribution · % of letter grades

A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

Grades over time

Through Spring 2022

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

Download part 1
Selected offering source records
GEOSCI/GLE 724 · Spring 2027

Groundwater Flow Modeling

Recorded 2026-10-14
GEOSCI/GLE 724 · Spring 2027

Groundwater Flow Modeling

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records 
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    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:418:008615",
    "course_id": "GEOSCI/GLE 724",
    "course_uid": "course_899319ec07e5c14515d2600f",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "008615",
    "source_subject_id": "418",
    "title": "Groundwater Flow Modeling",
    "credits_min": 3,
    "credits_max": 3,
    "typically_offered": "Occasionally"
  },
  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:420:008615",
    "course_id": "GEOSCI/GLE 724",
    "course_uid": "course_899319ec07e5c14515d2600f",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "008615",
    "source_subject_id": "420",
    "title": "Groundwater Flow Modeling",
    "credits_min": 3,
    "credits_max": 3,
    "typically_offered": "Occasionally"
  }
]
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Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

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Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

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Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1
Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "ab6a81d34a736186fe1c38742274c15cad1c185e3f78032c82b5945837e7b14a",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}