Hydrogeology 101. Introduction to groundwater science and engineering / Гидрогеология 101. Введение в науку о подземных водах и инженерное дело

Traditionally, hydrogeology is defined as the area of geologic sciences, as well as engineering, that in its broadest sense deals with water below the land surface. Hydro is the Greek word for water, and geology is the science of Earth: geo being a prefix derived from the Greek word gaia (meaning the earth, but also Gaia – a primordial Earth goddess in Greek myth), whereas logy is derived from the Greek word logos which means word, thought, principle, or speech, but in modern times is most commonly understood to mean science. Thus, geology literally means the science of Earth.
The term hydrogeology (hydrogéologie in French) was first created by the French biologist and naturalist JeanBaptiste Lamarck in 1802 in a publication with the same name published in Paris by the Museum of Natural History (Lamarck, 1802). Lamarck also introduced the term biology. Although an entire scientific and engineering field owes its name to the French scientist, Lamarck and hydrogeology have not had much in common since. Until recently, a global approach to the preservation of both the environment and humankind has not been endorsed widely. Like Werner and Humboldt (also prominent scientists of the time), Lamarck considered nature as a whole, emphasizing the close connections between its abiotic and biotic parts. He declared that there must be one integrative science – Physique terrestre (the physics of the Earth) which would be able to embrace the study of the atmosphere (Météorologie), the study of Earth’s crust (Hydrogéologie), and the study of living organisms(Biologie). (Ghilarov, 1998). <...>