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Hydrologists

It's a bright outlook for

This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Learn more about what they do.

Research the distribution, circulation, and physical properties of underground and surface waters; and study the form and intensity of precipitation and its rate of infiltration into the soil, movement through the earth, and return to the ocean and atmosphere.

Related: Conservation Scientists Geoscientists Industrial Ecologists Water Resource Specialists Water/Wastewater Engineers

Industries: Government Professional, Science, & Technical

Summary
Details

Conduct research and communicate information to promote the conservation and preservation of water resources.
Install, maintain, and calibrate instruments such as those that monitor water levels, rainfall, and sediments.
Study public water supply issues, including flood and drought risks, water quality, wastewater, and impacts on wetland habitats.
Conduct short- and long-term climate assessments and study storm occurrences.
Compile and evaluate hydrologic information to prepare navigational charts and maps and to predict atmospheric conditions.
Prepare hydrogeologic evaluations of known or suspected hazardous waste sites and land treatment and feedlot facilities.
Design and conduct scientific hydrogeological investigations to ensure that accurate and appropriate information is available for use in water resource management decisions.
Measure and graph phenomena such as lake levels, stream flows, and changes in water volumes.
Evaluate research data in terms of its impact on issues such as soil and water conservation, flood control planning, and water supply forecasting.
Develop computer models for hydrologic predictions.
Study and document quantities, distribution, disposition, and development of underground and surface waters.
Coordinate and supervise the work of professional and technical staff, including research assistants, technologists, and technicians.
Review applications for site plans and permits and recommend approval, denial, modification, or further investigative action.
Answer questions and provide technical assistance and information to contractors or the public regarding issues such as well drilling, code requirements, hydrology, and geology.
Monitor the work of well contractors, exploratory borers, and engineers and enforce rules regarding their activities.
Study and document quantities, distribution, disposition, and development of underground and surface waters.
Develop or modify methods for conducting hydrologic studies.
Apply research findings to help minimize the environmental impacts of pollution, waterborne diseases, erosion, and sedimentation.
Compile and evaluate hydrologic information to prepare navigational charts and maps and to predict atmospheric conditions.
Administer programs designed to ensure the proper sealing of abandoned wells.
Study and analyze the physical aspects of the earth in terms of hydrological components, including atmosphere, hydrosphere, and interior structure.
Design and conduct scientific hydrogeological investigations to ensure that accurate and appropriate information is available for use in water resource management decisions.
Investigate properties, origins, and activities of glaciers, ice, snow, and permafrost.
Install, maintain, and calibrate instruments such as those that monitor water levels, rainfall, and sediments.
Measure and graph phenomena such as lake levels, stream flows, and changes in water volumes.
Conduct research and communicate information to promote the conservation and preservation of water resources.
Evaluate data and provide recommendations regarding the feasibility of municipal projects, such as hydroelectric power plants, irrigation systems, flood warning systems, and waste treatment facilities.
Prepare written and oral reports describing research results, using illustrations, maps, appendices, and other information.
Collect and analyze water samples as part of field investigations or to validate data from automatic monitors.

Science
- Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Technology Design
- Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
Management of Financial Resources
- Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
Negotiation
- Bringing people together to solve differences.
Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.
Instructing
- Teaching people how to do something.
Troubleshooting
- Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
Management of Personnel Resources
- Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
Speaking
- Talking to others.
Equipment Selection
- Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Service Orientation
- Looking for ways to help people.
Learning Strategies
- Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
Persuasion
- Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
Writing
- Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Operations Analysis
- Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
Active Learning
- Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Complex Problem Solving
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Systems Evaluation
- Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Operation and Control
- Using equipment or systems.
Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
Equipment Maintenance
- Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
Mathematics
- Using math to solve problems.
Programming
- Writing computer programs.
Management of Material Resources
- Managing equipment and materials.
Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Systems Analysis
- Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Quality Control Analysis
- Testing how well a product or service works.
Time Management
- Managing your time and the time of other people.

Information Ordering
- Ordering or arranging things.
Oral Comprehension
- Listening and understanding what people say.
Explosive Strength
- Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
Oral Expression
- Communicating by speaking.
Speech Recognition
- Recognizing spoken words.
Memorization
- Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Keeping your arm or hand steady.
Flexibility of Closure
- Seeing hidden patterns.
Dynamic Flexibility
- Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Gross Body Equilibrium
- Keeping your balance or staying upright.
Far Vision
- Seeing details that are far away.
Night Vision
- Seeing at night or under low light.
Rate Control
- Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
Depth Perception
- Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
Category Flexibility
- Grouping things in different ways.
Dynamic Strength
- Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
Originality
- Creating new and original ideas.
Deductive Reasoning
- Using rules to solve problems.
Speed of Closure
- Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
Spatial Orientation
- Knowing where things are around you.
Written Comprehension
- Reading and understanding what is written.
Sound Localization
- Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
Speed of Limb Movement
- Quickly moving your arms and legs.
Extent Flexibility
- Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Perceptual Speed
- Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Glare Sensitivity
- Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
Mathematical Reasoning
- Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
Trunk Strength
- Using your lower back and stomach.
Static Strength
- Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
Wrist-Finger Speed
- Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
Fluency of Ideas
- Coming up with lots of ideas.
Finger Dexterity
- Putting together small parts with your fingers.
Manual Dexterity
- Holding or moving items with your hands.
Gross Body Coordination
- Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
Speech Clarity
- Speaking clearly.
Selective Attention
- Paying attention to something without being distracted.
Time Sharing
- Doing two or more things at the same time.
Control Precision
- Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
Response Orientation
- Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
Peripheral Vision
- Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
Number Facility
- Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Stamina
- Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
Multilimb Coordination
- Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Written Expression
- Communicating by writing.
Problem Sensitivity
- Noticing when problems happen.
Inductive Reasoning
- Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
Reaction Time
- Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
Near Vision
- Seeing details up close.
Visual Color Discrimination
- Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
Visualization
- Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
Hearing Sensitivity
- Telling the difference between sounds.
Auditory Attention
- Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

Sales and Marketing
- Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Administrative
- Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Economics and Accounting
- Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Therapy and Counseling
- Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Law and Government
- Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Telecommunications
- Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Medicine and Dentistry
- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Food Production
- Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Biology
- Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Mathematics
- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Engineering and Technology
- Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Communications and Media
- Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Sociology and Anthropology
- Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Building and Construction
- Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Chemistry
- Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Production and Processing
- Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Foreign Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
History and Archeology
- Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Personnel and Human Resources
- Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Education and Training
- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Geography
- Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Public Safety and Security
- Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Psychology
- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Design
- Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Transportation
- Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Philosophy and Theology
- Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Mechanical
- Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Fine Arts
- Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Customer and Personal Service
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Physics
- Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Administration and Management
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

No on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

Washington Annual Salary

100000/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

48.08/hr

Currently Employed

330

Yearly Projected Openings

Investigative: People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out. They do well at jobs that need:

Integrity
Analytical Thinking
Attention to Detail
Dependability
Initiative
Achievement/Effort

Calipers
Clinometers
Commercial fishing nets
Conductivity meters
Desktop computers
Dissolution or disintegration testers
Dissolved oxygen meters
Dropping pipettes
Extensometers
Filters or other spare parts for samplers
Flowmeters
Global positioning system GPS receiver
Heating or drying equipment or accessories
Hydrometers
Laboratory bailers
Laboratory flasks
Laboratory mechanical convection ovens
Laboratory sifting equipment
Laboratory vacuum pumps
Laser printers
Levels
Logging instruments for water wells
Lux or light meter
Mainframe computers
Micrometers
Notebook computers
Oil content monitors analyzers
Open stream current meters
Open stream water level recorders
Peristaltic pumps
Personal computers
Pitch measuring instruments
Portable data input terminals
Portable seismic apparatus
Pressure sensors
Pull spring balances
Radarbased surveillance systems
Radiation detectors
Remote reading thermometers
Respirators
Salinity meter
Sampling pumps
Soil core sampling apparatus
Sonars
Spectrofluorimeters or fluorimeters
Surface data logging sensors
Surface data logging units
Templates
Theodolites
Thickness measuring devices
Turbidimeters
Two way radios
Underwater cameras
Water analyzers
Water samplers
Well logging downhole test equipment
pH meters

Analytical or scientific software
Categorization or classification software
Compliance software
Computer aided design CAD software
Data base user interface and query software
Development environment software
Electronic mail software
Geographic information system
Graphics or photo imaging software
Internet browser software
Map creation software
Object or component oriented development software
Office suite software
Operating system software
Presentation software
Spreadsheet software
Web platform development software
Word processing software

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