FLOOD02234

• County: Statewide
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Hydrologic Aspects of Project Planning
• Date: 3/7/1972
• Prepared For: US
• Prepared By: US Army Corps of Engineers
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

Question, Mr. Gaum: (1) What is a hydrologist-hydrologic engineer;
what are his areas of experience; and what is his role in planning?
(2) What is the answer to the question in the title of the paper?

Reply, Mr. Fredrich: (1) To me there is a distinction between the
terms hydrologist and hydrologic engineer. A hydrologist is a
scientist who studies the occurrence and movement of water in the
hydrologic cycle - that is, in the atmosphere, on the earth's
surface, and beneath the earth's surface. A hydrologic engineer,
on the other hand, is an engineer who understands the science of
hydrology and who uses this understanding - together with an
understanding of basic engineering principles - in technical
studies associated with the planning, design, and operation of
water resources developments. His experience would include
academic and on-the-job training in both hydrology and engineering
and in other technical fields that are required for the particular
type of hydrologic engineering work he performs. These fields could
include such areas as water chemistry, meteorology, geology,
economics and hydraulics. I think the hydrologic engineer's
role in planning must be determined by his functional responsibility
in the particular organization where he works. In some cases he
will be involved in plan formulation and broad evaluation of
alternative plans of development. In others he will be
little more than a technical specialist performing specific
studies of very limited scope. I personally feel that the former
role is more appropriate than the latter.

(2) As I stated - maybe not too clearly - in the summary of my paper,
I feel that hydrologic engineering techniques have generally been
responsive to planning requirements in the past, but I think the
planning requirements are changing rapidly and I am not sure that
hydrologic engineering techniques are changing rapidly enough to
keep pace. Consequently, there is a real danger that we (hydro-
logic engineers) will soon find ourselves in the position of not
being able to fully respond to planning requirements.

Comment, Mr. Gaum: Don't plan in isolation. Communicate with other
disciplines prior to detailed hydrologic studies.

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