Michael “Mike” Schnieders, PG, PH-GW, is the lead hydrogeologist and president of Water Systems Engineering Inc., a diagnostic laboratory and consulting firm in Ottawa, Kansas. He coauthored the Operational Stage of the Well with Thomas M. Hanna, PG, and John H. Schnieders, FAIC, CPC, and has also authored numerous technical papers on water resources, well fouling, and water testing. Schnieders was The Groundwater Foundation’s 2017 McEllhiney Distinguished Lecturer in Water Well Technology. He received a B.S. in geology from Kansas State University and an M.S. in geology from Wichita State University.