Watershed Hydrology

Goals:

The goal of the watershed hydrology emphasis area is to prepare students for careers and graduate programs related to water resources in state and federal governmental agencies, academia, NGOs and the private sector. Students following the watershed hydrology emphasis area will receive a broad technical training in the fundamental sciences such as physics, chemistry and biology, as well as more specialized training in hydrology, hydrogeology, geomorphology and soil science. Students will also gain a working knowledge of the social/policy context of land conservation, so that they can be effective in both acquiring and using scientific knowledge in the conservation field. The watershed hydrology emphasis will be especially interesting for students who want to use their technical skills and knowledge to obtain tangible benefits in terms of the conservation and restoration of soil and water resources.

Potential employment areas for students following the watershed hydrology emphasis include: soil and water conservation; watershed management; river and wetland restoration; climate data collection and analysis, including monitoring and measurement of winter snowpack; streamflow monitoring and flood prediction; design and operation of dams and reservoirs; groundwater exploration; monitoring of surface water and groundwater quality; and contaminated land assessment and remediation. Potential federal employers include the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Within Montana, the Department of Natural Resources Conservation (DNRC) and the Department of Environmental Quality both employ water resource professionals. Students completing the watershed hydrology emphasis would be well prepared for graduate programs in watershed science, hydrology, soil science, wetland and riparian ecology, restoration ecology, stream ecology and forestry.