Career Overview
Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues.
Also Known As
- Water Resources Planner
Alternate Job Titles
- Community Resource Consultant
- Environmental Resource Specialist
- Hydrotechnical Specialist
- Hydrotechnician
- Power Supply Engineer
- Resource Specialist
- Water Quality Specialist
- Water Resource Agent
- Water Resource Consultant
- Water Resource Engineering Specialist
- Water Resource Specialist
- Water Resources Planner
- Water Restoration Technician
- Water Rights Specialist
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Perform hydrologic, hydraulic, or water quality modeling.
- Analyze storm water systems to identify opportunities for water resource improvements.
- Conduct, or oversee the conduct of, investigations on matters such as water storage, wastewater discharge, pollutants, permits, or other compliance and regulatory issues.
- Develop strategies for watershed operations to meet water supply and conservation goals or to ensure regulatory compliance with clean water laws or regulations.
- Conduct technical studies for water resources on topics such as pollutants and water treatment options.
- Review or evaluate designs for water detention facilities, storm drains, flood control facilities, or other hydraulic structures.
- Present water resource proposals to government, public interest groups, or community groups.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Engineering and Technology
- Mathematics
- Design
- Physics
- Computers and Electronics
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Time Management
- Complex Problem Solving
- Systems Analysis
- Systems Evaluation
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Information Ordering
- Near Vision
- Speech Clarity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
- Independence
- Recognition
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
On-the-Job Training: None or short demonstration
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Structured query language SQL
Tools & Equipment
- Automated water sampling equipment
- Binocular light compound microscopes
- Chlorine testers
- Desktop computers
- Digital pH meters
- Dissolved oxygen indicators
- Global positioning system GPS receivers
- Grab samplers
- Gravitational field indicators
- Laptop computers
- Laser facsimile machines
- Mobile radios
- Multi-line telephone systems
- Multiparameter water probes
- Nitrate meters
Work Environment
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Salary & Job Market
Wages reported for the broader Natural Sciences Managers occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Water Resource Specialists.
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $79,830 |
| Median | $161,180 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | >$239,200 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 100,870
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Water/Wastewater Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $99,590
Industrial Ecologists
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $80,060
Conservation Scientists
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $67,950
Environmental Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $104,170
Hydrologists
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $92,060
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.