Associate Professor Engineering Geology, Hydrogeology, Vadose Zone Hydrology Office: 4-25 Natural Sciences 2 Building E-mail: [email protected] Phone: +27 (0)12 420 3117 Past Chair: Ground Water Division of Geological Society of SA (2016-2019; member 2009-present) President: SA chapter International Association of Hydrogeologists (2015-16; 2020-present) Chair: local organizing committee for the 50th International Congress of the International Asssociation of Hydrogeologists Member: SA Institute for Engineering and Environmental Geologists (2008-present) Council Member: Geological Society of South Africa (2015-present)

More detail about me can be found under staff profiles.

Orcid ID: 0000-0002-6807-1353 

Find me on Google Scholar

 

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Present focus:

• Moving into Critical Zone Research
• Variably saturated flow through fractured, karstic and complex anthropogenically altered intermediate vadose zone
• Geotechnical centrifuge modelling of variably and partially saturated systems 
• Urban water supply and water history of major South African cities
• South African hydrostratigraphy.

Current research projects:

• Complex and Anthropogenically Altered Vadose Zone (Water Research Commission; 2019-2022)

Completed research projects:

• Karst Vadose Zone: Recharge, Vulnerability and Stability (Water Research Commission; 2016-19).
• State-of-the-Art Cemetery Guidelines (Water Research Commission; 2015-18)
• Hydrological Heritage Overview: Johannesburg and Cape Town (Water Research Commission; 2014-2016)
• Intermediate Vadose Zone Hydrology and Unsaturated Fracture Flow (Water Research Commission; 2014-2016)
• Water Research Commission (WRC) funded project K5/2052: Vadose Zone Hydrology: Concepts and Techniques (2011-2014)
• Water Research Commission (WRC) funded project K5/2150: Hydrological Heritage Overview: The Water Resources of the City of Tshwane Municipality (2012-2013)
• Water Research Commission (WRC) funded project K8/876: Preliminary Vadose Zone Classification Methodology (Molototsi and Middle Letaba Quaternary Catchments) (2009-2010)
• Assessment of historical large volume Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid spill in fractured Gneiss (2002-2012)
• SANParks Kruger National Park: Compilation of Detailed Geological and Weathering Profile Maps of the Research Supersites (2012-2013).

EDUCATION

• 2014: PhD Hydrogeology, University of Pretoria, South Africa
• 2009: MSc Engineering- and Environmental Geology, University of Pretoria, South Africa
• 2002: BSc (Hons) Engineering and Environmental Geology, University of Pretoria, South Africa
• 2001: BSc Earth Science/ Geology, University of Pretoria, South Africa

EMPLOYMENT

• 2019-present: Associate Professor in Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, University of Pretoria
• 2015-2019: Senior Lecturer and Lecturer in Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, University of Pretoria
• 2007-2014: Junior Lecturer and Lecturer in Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, University of Pretoria
• 2006-present: Consulting Engineering Geologist / Hydrogeologist to Industry
• 2005-2006: Engineering Geologist / Hydrogeologist, Private Consulting Company
• 2004-2005: Contamination Hydrogeologist, Private Consulting Company
• 2003-2004: Junior Engineering Geologist, Council for Geoscience

TEACHING & PROJECT SUPERVISION

Responsibilities:

• Management of the Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology section 
• Departmental Handbooks
• Hydrogeological equipment
• Departmental website

Project supervision:

In progress Ph.D.:

• Five (5)

In progress M.Sc.:

• Two (2)

Completed Ph.D.:

• Hydrogeology: 1
• Engineering Geology: 1

Completed M.Sc.:

• Hydrogeology: 9
• Engineering Geology: 5

Current Lecturing:

University of Pretoria:

• Groundwater GLY366
• Engineering Geology of South Africa GTX714
• Fluid Mechanics in Geological Media GTX725
• Site Investigation Project GTX 713
• Applied Geological Field Methods GTX728

PUBLICATIONS

Published: 27

Orcid: orcid.org/0000-0002-6807-1353

Books:

Dippenaar MA, Jones BR, Van Rooy JL, Maoyi M, Swart D (2022) The Vadose Zone: from Theory to Practise. Report K5/2826. Water Research Commission. Pretoria.

Dippenaar MA, Swart D, Van Rooy JL, Diamond RE (2019) The Karst Vadose Zone: Influence on Recharge, Vulnerability and Surface Stability. Report TT 779/19. Water Research Commission. Pretoria

Dippenaar MA, Olivier J, Lorentz S, Ubomba-Jaswa E, Abia ALK, Diamond RE (2019) Environmental Risk Assessment, Monitoring and Management of Cemeteries. Report 2449/18/1. Water Research Commission. Pretoria.

Dippenaar MA (2013) Hydrogeological Heritage Overview – Pretoria’s Fountains: Arteries of Life. SP 44/13. Water Research Commission. Pretoria.  www.wrc.org.za

Dippenaar MA (2015) Hydrological Heritage Overview – Johannesburg: Gold in the Rand, Water from the Land. SP 91/15. Water Research Commission. Pretoria. www.wrc.org.za

Dippenaar MA (2016) Hydrological Heritage Overview – Cape Town: Where Sweet Waters meet the Sea. SP 95/16. Water Research Commission. Pretoria. www.wrc.org.za

Dippenaar M A. (2015). Hydrological Heritage Overview: Johannesburg - Gold in the Rand, Water from the Land. Water Research Commission. -62pp

• Dippenaar, M. A. (2013). Hydrogeological Heritage Overview: Pretoria's Fountains - Arteries of Life. Water Research Commission SP 44/13. Pretoria. -72pp

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USEFUL LINKS

• South African Institute for Engineering and Environmental Geologists: www.saieg.co.za
• Ground Water Division of the Geological Society of South Africa: www.gwd.org.za
• South African National Chapter of IAH: www.iah.org.za 
• International Association of Hydrogeologists: www.iah.org
• Water Research Commission: www.wrc.org.za
• Groundwater Project: www.gw-project.org