Hydrologists - Water and Wastewater Experts

Water and wastewater work composes another branch of environmental work, although there is certainly overlap in this area with industrial ecology and environmental engineering. Hydrologists specialize in water quality, quantity, use and distribution. They study precipitation, groundwater and surface water as well as water’s effect on soil and its movement through larger bodies of water and the atmosphere. Escalating threats to water supply and quality caused by growing populations and unsound waste practices have created higher demand for water and wastewater management experts. The BLS reports that “hydrologists use remote sensing technology, data assimilation and numerical modeling to monitor the change in regional and global water cycles. Many environmental scientists and hydrologists work at consulting firms, helping businesses and government agencies comply with environmental policy, particularly with groundwater decontamination and flood control. They are usually hired to solve problems.” This is a field that is expected to grow in the next decade, in response to the environmental goals of the Recovery Act of 2009.