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11-9121.02 - Water Resource Specialists


Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
1
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
55,100
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
56,900
Estimate
Change in Employment
+1,800
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+3.3%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Supervise teams of workers who capture water from wells and rivers.
  • Review or evaluate designs for water detention facilities, storm drains, flood control facilities, or other hydraulic structures.
  • Negotiate for water rights with communities or water facilities to meet water supply demands.
  • Perform hydrologic, hydraulic, or water quality modeling.
  • Compile water resource data, using geographic information systems (GIS) or global position systems (GPS) software.
  • Compile and maintain documentation on the health of a body of water.
  • Write proposals, project reports, informational brochures, or other documents on wastewater purification, water supply and demand, or other water resource subjects.
  • Recommend new or revised policies, procedures, or regulations to support water resource or conservation goals.
  • Provide technical expertise to assist communities in the development or implementation of storm water monitoring or other water programs.
  • Present water resource proposals to government, public interest groups, or community groups.
  • Monitor water use, demand, or quality in a particular geographic area.
  • Identify and characterize specific causes or sources of water pollution.
  • Develop plans to protect watershed health or rehabilitate watersheds.
  • Develop or implement standardized water monitoring and assessment methods.
  • Conduct technical studies for water resources on topics such as pollutants and water treatment options.
  • Conduct, or oversee the conduct of, investigations on matters such as water storage, wastewater discharge, pollutants, permits, or other compliance and regulatory issues.
  • Conduct cost-benefit studies for watershed improvement projects or water management alternatives.
  • Analyze storm water systems to identify opportunities for water resource improvements.
  • Develop strategies for watershed operations to meet water supply and conservation goals or to ensure regulatory compliance with clean water laws or regulations.
  • Conduct, or oversee the conduct of, chemical, physical, and biological water quality monitoring or sampling to ensure compliance with water quality standards.
Supplemental
  • Identify methods for distributing purified wastewater into rivers, streams, or oceans.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Engineering and Technology
  • 92%
    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.
 Mathematics
  • 84%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Design
  • 79%
    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
 Physics
  • 77%
    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.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 71%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 English Language
  • 68%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Geography
  • 67%
    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.
 Building and Construction
  • 65%
    Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
 Law and Government
  • 65%
    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
 Chemistry
  • 64%
    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.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 59%
    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.
 Biology
  • 59%
    Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
 Administration and Management
  • 57%
    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.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 56%
    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.
 Education and Training
  • 56%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 Economics and Accounting
  • 55%
    Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
 Sales and Marketing
  • 52%
    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.
 Communications and Media
  • 52%
    Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Commercial fishing equipment
  • Plankton nets
  • Seines
 Sampling equipment
  • Automated water sampling equipment
  • Total dissolved solids TDS meters
  • Water samplers
 Viewing and observing instruments and accessories
  • Binocular light compound microscopes
 Indicating and recording instruments
  • Water flow meters
 Temperature and heat measuring instruments
  • Temperature gauges
 Gas analyzers and monitors
  • Chlorine testers
 Liquid and solid and elemental analyzers
  • Multiparameter water probes
  • Water quality test kits
  • Nitrate meters
  • Nitrite meters
 Geophysical and geotechnical instruments
  • Gravitational field indicators
 Soil measuring equipment
  • Grab samplers
 Land surveying instruments
  • Total stations
 Hydrological instruments
  • Stream flow gauges
 Meteorological instruments
  • Rain gauges
 Electrochemical measuring instruments and accessories
  • Titrators
  • Digital pH meters
  • Water conductivity testers
  • Dissolved oxygen indicators
 Personal communication devices
  • Multi-line telephone systems
  • Mobile radios
 Computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Personal computers
 Duplicating machines
  • Laser facsimile machines
 Water treatment and supply equipment
  • Turbidimeters
 Audio and visual equipment
  • Global positioning system GPS receivers
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Business function specific software
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Microsoft WordHOT
  • Word processing software
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
 Data management and query software
  • Customer relationship management CRM software
  • Database software
  • Scientific Software Group RIVERMorph
  • Structured query language SQLHOT
 Industry specific software
  • Autodesk AutoCADHOT
  • ESRI ArcView 3D AnalystHOT
  • DHI MIKE URBAN
  • ESRI ArcGIS Spatial Analyst
  • FishXing
  • HEC-HMS
  • HEC-RAS
  • Laboratory information management system LIMS
  • MWH Soft H2ONET MSX
  • MWH Soft InfoSWMM
  • TIBCO Spotfire S+
  • Wallingford Software InfoSewer
  • Wallingford Software InfoWater
  • Wallingford Software InfoWorks CS
  • Wallingford Software InfoWorks WS
  • Water flow modeling software
 Network applications software
  • Web browser software
 Information exchange software
  • Microsoft OutlookHOT
  • ESRI ArcGIS softwareHOT
  • ESRI ArcInfo
  • ESRI ArcPad
  • ESRI ArcView
  • Geographic information system GIS softwareHOT
  • Google Earth Pro
  • Mapping software
  • Global positioning system GPS software
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Specialty
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Blue Ridge Community College
 Programs
Brightpoint Community College
 Programs
Eastern Shore Community College
 Programs
Germanna Community College
 Programs
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
 Programs
Laurel Ridge Community College
 Programs
Northern Virginia Community College
 Programs
Paul D. Camp Community College
 Programs
Piedmont Virginia Community College
 Programs
Rappahannock Community College
 Programs
Southside Virginia Community College
 Programs
Tidewater Community College
 Programs
Virginia Highlands Community College
 Programs
Virginia Peninsula Community College
 Programs
Virginia Western Community College
 Programs
Wytheville Community College
 Programs
Jobs
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Jobs related to this career may be found on Indeed.com or on the Google Job Search page.