Occupation Summary

Water Resource Specialists

O*NET 11-9121.02

Description:

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

Annual Wages:
$136,949.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by 21.19%.
Education Level:
Master's Degree. According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
Business and Industry, Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM)

  1. Supervise teams of workers who capture water from wells and rivers.
  2. Review or evaluate designs for water detention facilities, storm drains, flood control facilities, or other hydraulic structures.
  3. Negotiate for water rights with communities or water facilities to meet water supply demands.
  4. Perform hydrologic, hydraulic, or water quality modeling.
  5. Compile water resource data, using geographic information systems (GIS) or global position systems (GPS) software.
  6. Compile and maintain documentation on the health of a body of water.
  7. Write proposals, project reports, informational brochures, or other documents on wastewater purification, water supply and demand, or other water resource subjects.
  8. Recommend new or revised policies, procedures, or regulations to support water resource or conservation goals.
  9. Provide technical expertise to assist communities in the development or implementation of storm water monitoring or other water programs.
  10. Present water resource proposals to government, public interest groups, or community groups.
  11. Identify methods for distributing purified wastewater into rivers, streams, or oceans.
  12. Monitor water use, demand, or quality in a particular geographic area.
  13. Identify and characterize specific causes or sources of water pollution.
  14. Develop plans to protect watershed health or rehabilitate watersheds.
  15. Develop or implement standardized water monitoring and assessment methods.
  16. Conduct technical studies for water resources on topics such as pollutants and water treatment options.
  17. Conduct, or oversee the conduct of, investigations on matters such as water storage, wastewater discharge, pollutants, permits, or other compliance and regulatory issues.
  18. Conduct cost-benefit studies for watershed improvement projects or water management alternatives.
  19. Analyze storm water systems to identify opportunities for water resource improvements.
  20. Develop strategies for watershed operations to meet water supply and conservation goals or to ensure regulatory compliance with clean water laws or regulations.
  21. Conduct, or oversee the conduct of, chemical, physical, and biological water quality monitoring or sampling to ensure compliance with water quality standards.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Water Resource Specialists employed Annual Growth Rate
Scientific research and development services 39.2 0.60
Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing 5 0.68
Colleges, universities, and professional schools 4.5 0.25
Architectural, engineering, and related services 3.6 0.32
General medical and surgical hospitals 3.1 0.36
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services 3 0.74


Labor Market Information


2024 Statewide average hourly wage $65.84
2024 National average hourly wage $83.41
2022 National employment 86,300
2022 Texas employment 5,856
Texas projected employment by 2032 7,097
Texas projected annual employment and Turnover openings through 2032 569




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.


Top 10 Relevant Knowledge Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Engineering and Technology
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.
92.40%
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
83.60%
Design
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
79.00%
Physics
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.
77.20%
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
71.00%
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
68.20%
Geography
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.
67.20%
Building and Construction
Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
65.40%
Law and Government
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
64.60%
Chemistry
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.
63.60%


Top 10 Relevant Skill Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
80.00%
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
80.00%
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
80.00%
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
80.00%
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
80.00%
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
77.60%
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
77.60%
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
75.00%
Systems Analysis
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
72.40%
Systems Evaluation
Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
72.40%


Top 10 Relevant Abilities Relevant Importance Levels
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
80.00%
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
80.00%
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
80.00%
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
77.60%
Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
77.60%
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
77.60%
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
77.60%
Information Ordering
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
75.00%
Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
75.00%
Speech Clarity
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
72.40%


  • Analyzing Data or Information
    -- Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    -- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Getting Information
    -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    -- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Working with Computers
    -- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Other Activities


  • Achievement
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
  • Working Conditions
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.



Tools

Binocular light compound microscopes: Binocular light compound microscopes;

Commercial fishing nets: Plankton nets; Seines;

Conductivity meters: Water conductivity testers;

Desktop computers: Desktop computers;

Dissolved oxygen meters: Dissolved oxygen indicators;

Flow sensors: Water flow meters;

Global positioning system GPS receiver: Global positioning system GPS receivers;

Gravimeters: Gravitational field indicators;

Laser fax machine: Laser facsimile machines;

Nitrogen or nitrate or nitrite analyzer: Nitrate meters; Nitrite meters;

Notebook computers: Laptop computers;

Open stream current meters: Stream flow gauges;

Personal computers: Personal computers;

pH meters: Digital pH meters;

Rainfall recorders: Rain gauges;

Single gas monitors: Chlorine testers;

Soil core sampling apparatus: Grab samplers;

Special purpose telephones: Multi-line telephone systems;

Temperature gauge: Temperature gauges;

Theodolites: Total stations;

Titration equipment: Titrators;

Turbidimeters: Turbidimeters;

Two way radios: Mobile radios;

Water analyzers: Multiparameter water probes; Water quality test kits;

Water samplers: Total dissolved solids TDS meters; Water samplers; Automated water sampling equipment;


Technology

Analytical or scientific software: DHI MIKE URBAN; FishXing; HEC-HMS; HEC-RAS; Laboratory information management system LIMS; TIBCO Spotfire S+; Wallingford Software InfoSewer; Wallingford Software InfoWater; Wallingford Software InfoWorks CS; Wallingford Software InfoWorks WS; Water flow modeling software; MWH Soft H2ONET MSX; MWH Soft InfoSWMM;

Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD;

Customer relationship management CRM software: Customer relationship management CRM software;

Data base user interface and query software: Database software; RIVERMorph; Structured query language SQL;

Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook;

Geographic information system: Google Earth Pro; Geographic information system GIS software; Geographic information system GIS systems; ESRI ArcGIS software; ESRI ArcGIS Spatial Analyst; ESRI ArcInfo; ESRI ArcPad; ESRI ArcView; ESRI ArcView 3D Analyst;

Internet browser software: Web browser software;

Map creation software: Mapping software;

Mobile location based services software: Global positioning system GPS software;

Office suite software: Microsoft Office software;

Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint;

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel;

Word processing software: Microsoft Word; Word processing software;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Water Resource Specialists include:
  • 11-9199.11 Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers
  • 19-1031.00 Conservation Scientists
  • 17-2081.00 Environmental Engineers
  • 19-2041.02 Environmental Restoration Planners
  • 19-2041.00 Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
  • 19-2043.00 Hydrologists
  • 19-2041.03 Industrial Ecologists
  • 11-9121.00 Natural Sciences Managers
  • 19-1031.02 Range Managers
  • 17-2051.02 Water/Wastewater Engineers


Sources of Additional Information
  • For information about science careers, visit: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • To find job openings for natural sciences managers in the federal government, visit: USAJOBS
  • CareerOneStop

  • For a career video on natural sciences managers, visit: Natural Sciences Managers
  • Clinical Research Coordinators
  • Natural Sciences Managers
  • Water Resource Specialists

  • Contact Texas Workforce Commission
    Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
    Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

    ** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.