Hydrogeology is a special field of applied geology, which deals with the water in the subsoil. Investigations are, among other things, the origin, the nature and the flow behaviour of groundwater, the interactions of the groundwater with surface waters, as well as the various rocks that the water flows through. A distinction must be made between hydrogeology and hydrology, which deals with surface water.

The subsoil of the Hansestadt Greifswald is dominated by glacial sediments, which at this point reach a thickness of between 30 and 80 meters and are directly exposed to chalk deposits. The near-surface sediments were formed by glacier advances of the Weichselian cold period, while deposits of the Saale and Elster cold periods are present. On the basis of these prerequisites, the focus of hydrogeological research and teaching in Greifswald is on loose rock bottom aquifers.

In order to support teaching, a hydrogeological test field was set up in the Arboretum (university gardens) not far from the institute. A well with a diameter of 6" and 9 measuring points with a diameter of 2" are filtered in a groundwater, which runs at a depth of between three and six meters below the surface of the ground. The students can use this facility to optimally convey standard hydrogeological procedures from the extraction of groundwater samples for chemical analysis and pump tests.