Tags: disciplines water

a sub-discipline of civil engineering is concerned with the flow and conveyance of fluids, principally water and sewage. One feature of these systems is the extensive use of gravity as the motive force to cause the movement of the fluids. This area of civil engineering is intimately related to the design of bridges, dams, channels, canals, and levees, and to both sanitary and environmental engineering.<wiki (water) (opens new window)>

engineering discipline that takes from broad scientific topics like chemistry, biology, ecology, geology, hydraulics, hydrology, microbiology, and mathematics to create solutions that will protect and also improve the health of living organisms and improve the quality of the environment.<wiki (environmental) (opens new window)>

Where do they work?

Hydraulic Engineers can work for Utilities companies, City and County Public Works departments, Flood Control districts, Army Corps of Engineers, Water Resources Control Board, Department of Transportation (CalTrans), Department of Water Resources or in Universities doing research. Likewise there are opportunities in consulting as a contractor for a larger public agency working on master plans, design, and drainage.

Environmental Engineers can also work at many of the same agencies, but in the environmental departments. Additionally, many work for the Environmental Protection Agencies or Fisheries Agencies.

What do they do?

Hydraulics Engineers generally work on planning, designing, constructing, and operating water facilities and infrastructure. For water supply this includes dams, weirs, levees, reservoirs, tanks, aqueducts, smaller pipes, pumping plants, rivers, and creeks. Drainage facilities include inlets, gutters, curbs, dikes, manholes, and stormwater and sewar drains. There is also work in policy, computer simulation modeling, and research. For those who prefer the outdoors, water resources jobs may require work in rural hillsides and forests and away from heavy traffic.

Environmental engineers often work with water quality issues involving California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Traditional environmental engineering work involves design and construction of water and wastewater treatment plants. Environmental engineers can also work on obtaining environmental permits for projects and making sure that projects meet all State and Federal regulations. Many times, projects can get stuck in the early environmental phase due to endangered species, tribal lands, and mitigation issues. Every project requires permits and environmental engineers play a big role in all phases from beginning to end.