Office of the Regional Hydrologist,
Western Region - Mission & Staff

Table of Contents

MISSION STATEMENT
PERSONNEL
ORGANIZATION CHART

MISSION STATEMENT FOR THE REGIONAL HYDROLOGIST'S OFFICE, WESTERN REGION

US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, WATER RESOURCES DISCIPLINE - The mission of the Water Resources Discipline (WRD), in support of the overall mission of the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), is to provide the realiable, impartial, timely information that is needed to understand the Nation's Water resources. WRD actively promotes the use of this information by decisionmakers to—

• Minimize the loss of life and property as a result of water-related natural hazards, such as floods, droughts, and land movement.
  
• Effectively manage ground-water and surface-water resources for domestic, agricultural, commercial, industrial, recreational, and ecological uses.
  
• Protect and enhance water resources for human health, aquatic health, and environmental quality.
  
• Contribute to physical and economic development of the Nation's resources for the benefit of present and future generations.

Activties

Primary WRD activities include:

• Collecting, quality assuring, storing, and disseminating basic hydrologic data on the quantity and quality of water.
  
• Conducting assessments of availability of water, quality of water, water use, and water-related hazards at scales that range from single data-collection sites to regional and national scale.
  
• Conducting interpretive studies and developing predictive models that describe the potential consequences of water-related management actions.
  
• Providing knowledge and expertise to assist various levels of govenment (Federal, State, and local) in understanding and solving critical water-resources problems.
  
• Developing new methods for acquiring water-resources information, including methods of data collection, quality assurance, data management, laboratory analysis, data analysis, and simulation modeling.
  
• Producing new understanding that describes or explains processes important to water-related issues.

Many of these activities are conducted in cooperation with State and local governments and other Federal agencies.

PERSONNEL

REGIONAL HYDROLOGIST (William Sexton)

Serves as the personal representative of the Chief Hydrologist in the Western Region and the principal deputy for the implementation of USGS water resources programs in the Western Region. In this capacity has full responsibility for the development, execution, coordination, and the direction of regional programs and plans within nine District Offices and the Cascades Volcano Observatory Project Office. Also serves as the Accountable Property Officer (APO). Five principal assistants report directly to this position:

ASSOCIATE REGIONAL HYDROLOGIST (John Klein)

Serves as the principal deputy for the implementation of policies and objectives of USGS water resources programs in the Region. As a member of the Regional staff, the incumbent shares the responsibility for the development, execution, coordination, and direction of the region's programs and plans in water-resources investigations. Serves as day-to-day office manager of Regional Headquarters and acts as the Regional Hydrologist when he is absent.

ASSISTANT REGIONAL HYDROLOGIST(S)- External (Vacant)

Assist the Regional Hydrologist in the implementation of policies and objectives of USGS water resources programs in the Region. As a member of the Regional staff, the incumbents share the responsibility for the development, execution, coordination, and direction of the region's programs and plans in water-resources investigations. Foster cooperative relationships with other Federal, state, and local government officials, including members of Congress, representatives of national, international, state and private organizations, educational institutions and others interested in water resources. Oversee training and career development efforts carried out to improve the technical capabilities of the Division in the assigned programs.

ASSISTANT REGIONAL HYDROLOGIST FOR PROGRAMS (Keith Prince)

Responsible for the coordination of planning and programming of the Western Region portion of the USGS water resources programs. This involves assistance to the District Offices in program planning and development; execution of Regional responsibilities in technical review, and approval of District projects. Responsible for ensuring that USGS' responsibilities in establishing and maintaining the Water Information Coordination Program (WICP), as defined in OMB Memorandum 92.01, are accomplished in the Western Region. The position will be the representative in all Regional level committees involved in WICP activities in the Western Region. This position provides oversight to the following Specialist positions:

ASSISTANT REGIONAL HYDROLOGIST FOR NAWQA (Vacant)

Serves as Western Region's National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) Manager and provides management and technical direction to all NAWQA activities in the Region. Assists in budget preparation and distribution; staffing and team building; selection and staging, planning, and implementation of study unit investigations; and training and development of technical protocols and guidelines. Facilitates and participates in intra- and inter-agency liaison activities related to NAWQA. Reviews program products and progress to assure technical excellence and conformance with work schedules. Participates as a member of the NAWQA senior management team in the overall management and technical direction of the NAWQA program. Writes reports and gives presentations about NAWQA.

MANAGEMENT OFFICER (Tammy Bagley)

Serves as staff advisor on all administrative matters for the Water Resources Discipline in Western Region. The function includes advisory responsibility for financial management, space, property, personnel, office services, contracts, and supply management. Serves as the Records Liaison Officer.

REGIONAL BIOLOGIST (Terry Short)

Serves as technical specialist for biological components of the National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) in the Western Region. Assists Study Unit staff and Regional and National Synthesis teams in the design and implementation of biological components of the Program. Helps prepare and evaluate sampling protocols. Provides guidance on and participates in study design, retrospective analysis of existing biological data, and the collection, processing, evaluation, and analysis and interpretation of biological information obtained by the Program. Participates in the development and implementation of a national synthesis plan for biological components of the Program. Prepares and reviews reports on aquatic-biological communities and ecological conditions in the Region based on an integration of physical, chemical, and biological information from Study Units and other sources. Trains and advises USGS staff and others on ecological concepts, sampling methods, and data analysis procedures. Prepares and evaluates proposals for water-quality studies involving aquatic biology and ecology. Conducts and assists others with such studies. Provides advice on biological data collection and investigations in the Region. Coordinates and collaborates with biologists in other agencies and in universities. Participates in meetings to describe and explain ecological concepts and methods, to develop and coordinate studies, to provide data, and to report on study results.

NATIONAL BIOLOGICAL SURVEY (BRD) REGIONAL BIOLOGIST FOR NAWQA (Steve Goodbred)

Serves as the liaison between the USGS Biological Resources Discipline (BRD) and the USGS NAWQA Program in the Western Region. Assists in accomplishing duties of the Regional Biologist. In particular, assists with biological sampling and training, study design and field methodologies, and data analysis, interpretation, and report preparation. Also, reviews reports and provides technical advice on environmental contaminants to NAWQA Study Units in the Western Region. Provides information about NAWQA to the BRD and other federal and State agencies that have responsibilities for managing biological resources in the Nation. Coordinates and collaborates with these agencies to develop and implement programs and studies that complement NAWQA, and that, along with NAWQA, provide the information needed to assess the condition of biological resources and make wise management decisions for the protection and enhancement of these resources. Ensures that biological sampling activities in NAWQA comply with the Endangered Species Act. Helps obtain biological collection permits from State wildlife management agencies and assistance from BRD, USFWS, and State wildlife management agencies for the collection of biological samples by NAWQA. Participates in NAWQA liaison committee meetings and helps develop and implement public outreach and education efforts related to biology.

WATER QUALITY SPECIALIST (James Eychaner)

Serves as technical specialist on all problems related to quality of water (physical, chemical, and biological aspects); coordinates quality of water activities in districts and technology transfer with National Water Quality Laboratory, Branch of Quality Assurance, and the National Research Program; serves as representative of the Office of Water Quality when acting as technical consultant to field offices, conducting training, and performing technical reviews; reviews project proposals and technical reports that deal with studies of water quality.

SURFACE WATER SPECIALIST (Mike Nolan)

Serves as consultant on matters pertaining to improvement of technical content of surface-water programs and multidisciplinary programs with surface-water components throughout the region; reviews surface-water aspects of project proposals submitted to the Regional Office, analyzing these with respect to scope, content, and technical adequacy of each proposal; reviews reports of surface water and geomorphology; reviews overall surface-water programs in the Districts; acts as technical consultant to field offices; conducts surface-water training; and performs technical reviews as a representative of the Office of Surface Water.

GROUND WATER SPECIALIST (Devin Galloway)

Serves as a consultant on matters pertaining to improvements of technical content of ground-water studies and ground-water aspects of multidisciplinary programs throughout the Region; reviews ground-water aspects of project proposals submitted to the Regional office, analyzing these with respect to scope, content, and technical adequacy of each proposal; reviews reports on ground-water; reviews overall ground-water program in the Districts and provides technical guidance and assistance to field offices on techniques and methods of conducting ground-water investigations, especially as to the use of newly-developed techniques, methods, and equipment. Also supervises the Regional drill rig operation.

REGIONAL SAFETY OFFICER(Vacant)

Assists the Regional Hydrologist and the Western Region Safety Manager with the implementation of the Bureau's and the Region's Safety and Occupational Health and Environmental Compliance Programs in the Western Region, including the the Western Region Branch of the National Research Program (WRD). Serves as a regional technical authority on all aspects of Safety, Health and Environmental Compliance Programs in the Region, providing expertise, advice, and training to managers.

REGIONAL REPORTS SPECIALIST (Keith Kirk)

Serves as the WRD Reports Improvement Officer in the Western Region. Has the responsibility for maintaining and enhancing the high quality of reports produced in the district and project offices and NRP within the Western Region. Reviews reports, project proposals, and journal articles for technical accuracy, design, and preparation competence.

REGIONAL COMPUTER SPECIALIST (Terri Moore)

Serves as senior WRD technical computer specialist in the Western Region; serves as technical expert in the application of automated data processing techniques as an advisor to management, district chiefs, and project personnel, including NRP in Western Region and serves as Bureau representative when acting as technical consultant to field offices or other groups. Also has supervisory responsibility for the local Computer Support Section.

CHIEF, DRILL RIG OPERATION (Steve Crawford)

Serves as Chief of the Research Drilling Unit in the Western Region, and is responsible for scheduling and coordinating field operations for drilling and sampling of earth materials for a variety of hydrologic programs. Also serves as a Bureau consultant to drilling and (or) sampling projects in the Region. Supervises professional drillers, hydrologic and engineeering technicians, physical science aids, field assistants, and in some instances, professional hydrologists on drilling projects.

DRILL RIG OPERATORS (Jack Hennagan, James Huckaby, Ray McKean)

Sets up, operates, and maintains large portable drilling rigs and ancillary equipment used for geohydrologic and geologic investigations and explorations.

SECRETARY (Robin Wilson)

Provides secretarial support to the Regional Hydrologist, and coordinates secretarial support for the office. Maintains calendar for Regional Hydrologist in Sacramento, makes travel arrangements for staff, processes travel vouchers, maintains ORH files. Coordinates meetings for staff.

SECRETARY, OFFICE AUTOMATION (Margaret Stockhill)

Provides secretarial support to the NAWQA program and Reports Improvement Officer. Arranges travel and processes travel vouchers for staff. Processes reports for the Region using the Reports Tracking System. Maintains Regional staff calendars.

STAFF ASSISTANT (Connie Handewith)

Provides secretarial support to the Office of the Regional Hydrologist(ORH)-Sacramento Staff. Arranges travel for Assistant Regional Hydrologist and staff. Maintains calendar for ORH-sacramento Staff, processes travel vouchers, maintains ORH-Sacramento files. Coordinates meetings for staff. Supports drill rig operations staff.