In these days, it is often despised among hydrogeological sophisticates who teach in or graduate from prestigious academic institutions. That's because the most important tools of this discipline are a pencil and a piece of paper. At a higher level of technical complexity, the tools are a hammer, a hand lens, a compass, and a shovel. Few hydrogeological sophisticates know or remember how to use these tools. Ground water lives in the geology.
Ground water is controlled by the geology.
The powerful, crucial discipline for solving ground water problems consists of going out into the field and doing geology. Really doing geology. Doing real geology. And based on abundant geological data, formulating and prioritizing multiple working hypotheses that relate to the ground water problems. They can think that if they wish, but I know better.