Geoff Harris is the man people call when they don't want water on
their construction sites. When a developer wants a housing development built,
Harris finds a way to ensure water won't flood the front lawns when the
houses are finished.
"When it rains, water has to go somewhere. It's my job to figure out
in advance where this water will go when it rains," says Harris, who works
for a civil engineering consulting company in Indianapolis.
Harris is one of many hydrologists who has an engineering background. This
crossover helps him make sure buildings and developments are built with water
in mind.
"I work in the surface water field," he says. "This relates only to the
effects of rainwater after it reaches the ground but before it soaks into
the ground or reaches the ocean. My work is usually related to some planned
development."
Before the foundation of building a road is even begun, Harris gets to
know the site pretty well. "Before anything starts, I usually gather information
like topographical maps and aerial photographs to see what the big picture
looks like."
Once he's done this, Harris goes out to the site to look at things
like vegetation, water sources and anything else that might affect how water
will drain from the area.
"I usually make a field trip to the site because I like to get a first-hand
look at things like vegetation densities, soil types, existing structures
and anything else that might affect how water drains from the site."
When Harris isn't out inspecting future development sites, he has
what looks like a typical office job.
"I work in a pretty pleasant office environment. I spend a lot of my time
studying maps, using computers and preparing reports and correspondence for
clients and government officials."
When Harris began his career in civil engineering, hydrology wasn't
his goal. But when he couldn't find work right away, he decided to enter
a master's program focusing on water resources and hydraulics (the science
that studies how liquids move).
"It really seems that this career found me," admits Harris, who says he
likes combining the techniques of modern engineering to study the natural
systems around him. "There are always newer, better ways being developed to
study water."
Harris also enjoys the steady work hydrology provides. After only a few
years in the field, Harris already had lined up enough work to keep him busy
for the next couple of years. That's because large developments can take
years in the planning.
The impact of roads and buildings on an area always makes for a challenging
study.
Harris sees his role as an important one. After all, he is responsible
for making sure a development is a success when it comes to water. Flooding
is the leading cause of loss due to a natural disaster, so a hydrologist's
projections and recommendations are critical. "I combine all the information
available and calculate estimates of how much runoff will reach the site and
how much water will build up," says Harris.
In addition to finding out what effect water will have on a development,
Harris also has the task of explaining what he finds out to everyone involved
in the project. This means explaining things so that everyone, not just other
scientists and engineers, understands.
"A great deal of information has to be shared and understood by everyone
involved. The way it's presented makes a big difference," says Harris.
Making accurate predictions about where water will end up can be a challenge,
because mother nature isn't always predictable.
"Since hydrology studies a natural system and natural systems never behave
the same way twice, you have to take this into account when you take on a
project," says Harris.
While it can be stressful, Harris welcomes the challenge. "I like working
with the unpredictability of natural systems," he says.
With environmental considerations becoming more important, Harris expects
hydrology to play a growing role in managing and protecting the water we have.
"The field is constantly adapting to the changing world, from improvements
in technologies to changes in the environmental concerns of the public," he
says.
While he doesn't see the demand for hydrologists skyrocketing, he's
not worried about where his next paycheck is coming from.
"I'd consider it a pretty dependable line of work."