Craig Nichol

Associate Department Head, Associate Professor of Teaching

Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences
Office: SCI 306
Phone: 250.807.8087
Email: craig.nichol@ubc.ca

Graduate student supervisor


Research Summary

Hydrogeology and vadose zone processes; regional groundwater resources; surface water and groundwater interactions; agricultural irrigation efficiency and nitrate leaching; agricultural greenhouse gas production; acid rock drainage and mine reclamation; soil physics. Geoscience education.

Courses & Teaching

EESC 111 Earth and Environmental Sciences; EESC 121 Earth History; EESC 342 Hydrogeology; EESC 335 Field Techniques; EESC 350 Exploration Geophysics; EESC 429 Contaminant Transport; EESC 551 Advanced Soil Physics; EESC 551 Groundwater Contamination and Transport; EESC 551 Groundwater Chemistry

Degrees

PhD, Hydrogeology, University of British Columbia
MSc, Hydrogeology, University of Birmingham
BA, (Honours), Geology, Cambridge University

Research Interests & Projects

Geoscience Education

  • Water use, nutrient management and greenhouse gas emissions in irrigated agriculture.
  • The movement of nitrate in the unsaturated zone under different irrigation regimes.
  • Pore scale and macro-scale variation of contaminant transport in the unsaturated zone under transient infiltration.

Unsaturated Zone:

  • Water use, nutrient management and greenhouse gas emissions in irrigated agriculture.
  • The movement of nitrate in the unsaturated zone under different irrigation regimes.
  • Pore scale and macro-scale variation of contaminant transport in the unsaturated zone under transient infiltration.
  • Acid rock drainage and mine reclamation

Water Resources:

  • Quaternary stratigraphy and the hydrogeology of valley fill aquifer systems.
  • Surface water and groundwater interactions
  • Effects of groundwater and streamflow on stream temperature.

Research Projects

Currently accepting graduate students in geoscience education only.

2012 – 2016 Agricultural Greenhouse Gases

Summary: Multi-year investigation of greenhouse gas emissions from irrigated grape vineyards and apple orchards.

People: Dr. Mesfin Fentabil (Phd), Dr. Melanie Jones, Dr. Louise Nelson, Dr. Andrew Midwood,

Partners: Agriculture and AgriFood Canada: Dr. Denise Neilsen, Dr. Gerry Neilsen, Dr. Tom Forge.

Funding: Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Program

Surface Water Groundwater Interactions in Kelowna

People: Nicole Pyett (Msc).

Partners: Okanagan Basin Water Board

Funding: Okanagan Basin Water Board, Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development

Nitrogen cycling and leaching in raspberry plantings

People: Shawn Kuchta (MSc), Nathalie Armstrong (MSc), Dr. Denise Neilsen, Dr. Tom Forge.

Partners: Agriculture and AgriFood Canada

Funding: Agriculture and AgriFood Canada

Summary: Multi-year experiment on raspberry production in Abbottsford examining cycling and leaching of nitrate from fertilizer sources into the vadose zone and to the water table.

Surface Water Groundwater Interactions and the presence of Salmonids in Fortune Creek

People: Elinor McGrath (M.Sc.), Dr. Adam Wei Funding: Pacific Salmon Foundation and the Fraser River Watershed Program (2007-2010)
Partners: Township of Spallumcheen, City of Armstrong, Pacific Salmon Foundation (major funding source), Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Summary: Fish habitat, groundwater – surface water interaction and stratigraphy of the Fortune Creek watershed.
Completed Thesis

Water Sustainability under Climate Change and Increasing Demand: a One Water Approach at a Watershed Scale

People: Principle Investigators – Dr. Adam Wei (lead), Dr. Craig Nichol, Dr. John Janmaat, Dr. Alan Woodbury (University of Manitoba)
Funding: NSERC Strategic Grant Program (2008-2011)
Partners: Ministry of Environment, Township of Spallumcheen, City of Armstrong, Dr. Dirk Kirste (SFU).
Summary: Surface water and groundwater interaction in the Deep Creek watershed, and the hydrogeochemical characterization of the North Okanagan Aquifers.

North Okanagan Groundwater Characterization and Assessment

People: Dr. Jianhua Ping (Post-Doctoral Researcher), Dr. Adam Wei.
Funding: Agricultural Water Supply Expansion Program (2005-2010) Partners: Ministry of Environment (lead), Township of Spallumcheen, City of Armstrong, Geological Survey of Canada, SFU and more.
Summary: Groundwater modeling and geochemical characterization of the North Okanagan aquifer system.

 

 

Selected Publications & Presentations

Google Scholar

 

Selected Grants & Awards

Awards

2014 Canadian Society for Civil Engineering Thomas Keefer Medal
The Keefer Medal, established in 1942, is presented annually for the best civil engineering paper in hydrotechnical, transportation or environmental engineering. (CSCE).
UBC News Story

Dobchuk, B., C. Nichol, G.W. Wilson, and M. Aubertin. 2013. Evaluation of a Single-LayerDesulphurizedTailings Cover.

Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 50(7): 777-792, 10.1139/cgj-2012-0119

Professional Services/Affiliations/Committees

Registered Professional Geoscientist in British Columbia

Okanagan Basin Water Board Water Stewardship Committee

Founder and Faculty Sponsor Varsity Outdoor Club Okanagan

 

 

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