Water Resource Specialists

• Perform hydrologic, hydraulic, or water quality modeling.
• Develop plans to protect watershed health or rehabilitate watersheds.
• Develop strategies for watershed operations to meet water supply and conservation goals or to ensure regulatory compliance with clean water laws or regulations.
• Identify and characterize specific causes or sources of water pollution.
• Write proposals, project reports, informational brochures, or other documents on wastewater purification, water supply and demand, or other water resource subjects.
• Present water resource proposals to government, public interest groups, or community groups.
• Review or evaluate designs for water detention facilities, storm drains, flood control facilities, or other hydraulic structures.
• Conduct technical studies for water resources on topics such as pollutants and water treatment options.
• Recommend new or revised policies, procedures, or regulations to support water resource or conservation goals.
• Conduct, or oversee the conduct of, chemical, physical, and biological water quality monitoring or sampling to ensure compliance with water quality standards.
• Monitor water use, demand, or quality in a particular geographic area.
• Analyze storm water systems to identify opportunities for water resource improvements.
• Provide technical expertise to assist communities in the development or implementation of storm water monitoring or other water programs.
• Compile water resource data, using geographic information systems (GIS) or global position systems (GPS) software.
• Conduct cost-benefit studies for watershed improvement projects or water management alternatives.
• Develop or implement standardized water monitoring and assessment methods.
• Negotiate for water rights with communities or water facilities to meet water supply demands.
• Compile and maintain documentation on the health of a body of water.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Water Resource Specialists.

• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
• Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Water Resource Specialists.