DR. Mahdi S. Hantush (1921–1984) was a prominent Iraqi-born American hydrologist known for his analytical work on leaky aquifers and well hydraulics.
His Son, Mohamed Hantush, is a Civil Engineer for the Environmental Protection Agency and resides in Cincinnati Ohio DR. Mahdi Hantush earned his first degree as a civil engineer from American University In Beirut, Lebanon.
In 1954 Hantush received a call to the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology where he developed one of the first graduate programs in Groundwater Hydrology.
He headed the New Mexico Tech Hydrology Program for over a decade, during which time it attracted students from all over the world.
This work provided him with practical experience and an appreciation for the problems involved in the development and management of water resources.