AIH Professional Hydrologist - Surface Water Examination study plan

Define the hydrological cycle components and quantify fluxes between precipitation, evapotranspiration, runoff, and recharge

Derive and apply Darcy's law to one-dimensional steady flow problems

Classify aquifer types (confined, unconfined, perched, leaky) and sketch their boundary conditions

Compute porosity, void ratio, specific yield, and specific retention from given sample data

Construct and interpret potentiometric surface maps from water-level data

Apply the Theis and Cooper-Jacob methods to pumping-test drawdown records

Calculate transmissivity and storativity from time-drawdown and distance-drawdown plots

Explain well interference, partial penetration, and boundary effects qualitatively

Estimate recharge using water-table fluctuation and baseflow-separation methods

Apply the Thiem equation and image-well theory to boundary-adjacent wells

Describe contaminant transport controls including advection, dispersion, retardation, and sorption

Outline a groundwater monitoring network design given a site description

Compute catchment water balance for annual and seasonal periods and identify residual terms

Apply unit hydrograph theory to derive and convolve direct runoff

Calculate return periods and exceedance probabilities from annual peak-flow series

Distinguish infiltration methods (Horton, Green-Ampt, SCS-CN) and select appropriately

Perform frequency analysis using log-Pearson Type III and interpret confidence limits

Route a flood hydrograph through a reservoir using level-pool routing

Apply Muskingum channel routing and calibrate K and x from given data

Compute design storms using IDF curves and hyetograph distributions

Develop a stage-discharge rating curve and assess its uncertainty

Select and apply appropriate flood and low-flow estimation methods for ungaged basins

Evaluate sediment transport and reservoir sedimentation using basic empirical relations

Explain streamflow gauging, acoustic Doppler, and continuous-record data QA procedures

Integrate surface water and groundwater interaction concepts across a connected basin scenario

Solve mixed-domain problems under timed conditions (90 seconds per item)

Identify and correct recurring error patterns from prior weeks' logs

Summarize key regulatory and water-rights frameworks relevant to hydrologic practice

Re-drill the two weakest subtopics identified in the mock exam until accuracy exceeds 85 percent

Recite key formulas and constants from memory without reference

Practice explaining hydrologic reasoning aloud for scenario-based items

Finalize exam-day logistics, pacing plan, and reference-allowed materials list