Hydrologist

Hydrologists help assess and protect our water supplies and water quality. Hydrologists concerned about water supplies manage surface and ground water to avoid problems caused by floods, droughts, population growth, and the impact of human activities. Hydrologists working on water quality problems deal with the chemical, physical, biological, and radiological properties of water we use for drinking, irrigation, industrial cooling, or swimming. They also help assess how land use affects water quality, and they help develop strategies to reduce the impact of land use on water quality.

Hydrologists work for both public and private groups. All federal agencies that manage our natural resources hire hydrologists. State agencies and watershed associations dealing with natural resources also employ hydrologists. Many hydrologists work for private consulting firms concerned with sustainable production as state and federal regulations are becoming more environmentally friendly. Hydrologists interested specifically in agricultural applications might be employed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or work privately for businesses and farms that use large amounts of water for irrigation or other purposes.