CECW-EH-Y

Pamphlet No.

350-2-1

Department of the Army

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Washington, DC 20314-1000

EP 350-2-1

15 Nov 94

Training

CAREER DEVELOPMENT OF HYDROLOGIC 

AND HYDRAULIC ENGINEERS

Distribution Restriction Statement

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
EP 350-2-1

CECW-EH

Pamphlet

No. 350-2-1

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Washington, DC 20314-1000

15 November 1994

Training

CAREER DEVELOPMENT OF HYDROLOGIC

AND HYDRAULIC ENGINEERS

1. Purpose

This pamphlet describes professional development

necessary for hydrologic and hydraulic engineers to successfully advance and perform specialized hydrologic

engineering studies. It will serve to improve the efficiency of employees and the quality of their products.

2. Applicability

This pamphlet applies to all HQUSACE elements, major

subordinate commands, districts, laboratories, and field

operating activities having civil winks responsibilities.

3. References

a. ER 15-2-14, committees on Tidal Hydraulics,

Channel Stabilization, Water Quality and Hydrology.

b. ER 350-1-416, Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers (HQUSACE) Centrally and Locally Sponsored

Long-Term Training (LTT) Program.

c. ER 690-1-958, Army Civilian Career program for

Engineers and Scientists (Resources and construction)

d. ER I11O-2-146O, Hydrologic Engineering

Management.

e. EP 1165-2-1, Digest of Water Resources Policits.

f. Memorandum dated 3 December 1990 (by Chief

of Engineers). Subject Army Civilian Training, Education and Development System (ACTEDS) for Civilian

Career program for Engineers & Scientists.

4. Requirements

ER 1110-2-1460 lists and explains the activities of hydrologic engineering within the civil works functions of the

Corps of Engineers. The Army Civilian Training, Education and Development System (ACTEDS) plan provides

training and development guidance for hydraulic engineers

who aspire to a key position in their career field. This

pamphlet describes the requirements for hydraulic engineers to further their professional development with the

U.S. Army corps of Engineers.

5. Scope of Hydrologic Engineering Activities

a. General. Hydrologic engineering is a part of civil

engineering practice in which applications of professional

knowledge of hydrologic and hydraulic principles are key

elements in water resources development and management

decisions. The scope includes the natural and management processes affecting the water cycle from precipitation on the land surface through the ultimate return of

water to the sea or inland sink. Technical methods of

analysis include field measurement and observation, mathematical and statistical analyses, and models. Outputs

from hydrologic engineering studies include water availability as expressed by surface and subsurface yield;

water surface elevations and water surface profiles,

sediment processes; modeling of watershed catchment

processes, flood hydrograph development and surface

infiltration; probability analysis of flood or drought frequency, risk of project failure, and reliability of supply;

reservoir regulation requirements for water supply, navigation, power generation, and flood control; water quality

effects of natural phenomena and project operations; and

groundwater level changes due to recharge and
EP 350-2-1

15 Nov 94

withdrawal. The hydraulic engineer must also be f. Other. Interagency committees and other Federal,

knowledgeable of and able to communicate in related state, and local agency programs frequently request Corps

legal, social, economic, plan formulation, administration hydrologic engineering studies. Negotiated agreements

and management areas. establish the basis for these studies.

(1) Hydrologic engineering is a key element in many

programs of the Corps of Engineers. Hydrologic engineering studies are an integral part of planning, design,

construction, operations, and maintenance of civil works

Projects and other special studies.

(2) Hydrologic engineering studies are performed in

the Federal interest in the areas defined in EP 1165-2-1.

Those areas include navigation, flood damage reduction,

shore protection stream bank erosion control, hydroelectric power, recreation, water supply and quality management fish and wildlife, wetlands conservation, regulatory

program, and special programs.

(3) Activities of a programmatic nature managed by

CECW-EH include water control, elements of the dam

safety program, reservoir sedimentation, hydrometeorology studies, hydrologic data collection, hydrologic

studies, the cooperative stream gaging program, and

hydrologic design for flood control and navigation.

b. Hydrologic engineering during planning. Hydrologic engineering studies develop fundamental technical

flood and drought information for reconnaissance and

feasibility phases of survey investigations and continuing

authority programs, floodplain management and special

and national studies.

c. Hydrologic engineering during design. Hydrologic engineering studies develop technical material for

preconstruction engineering and design studies, postauthorization changes, reevaluation reports, and design

memoranda. These studies also provide information for

preporation of plans and specifications and handling of

water during construction.

d. Water control management. Hydrologic engineering studies provide the basis for real-time water control decisions, undertaking emergency management

actions, preparing water control manuals, monitoring

reservoir sedimentation, evaluating reservoir storage reallocations, and other water control studies.

e. Regulatory. Hydrologic engineering studies can

be performed for Section 404 permit activities, Federal

Energy Regulatory Agency license actions, water quality

certification, and floodplain management actions.

6. Professional Development

a. General. It is the policy of the Corps of Engineers to foster the professional development of its engineering employees through providing encouragement

offering training and education opportunities, and supporting actions toward professional registration. While

professional development is primarily the responsibility of

the employee, supervisors will offer encouragement and

advise on matters important to progress. In the professional development process, there is a need for formal

training, professional society participation, technical committee participation, and professional engineer registration

in addition to on-the-job training. At the bachelor’s

degree level, the nation’s colleges and university provide

broad basic civil engineering education and an introduction to hydrology, hydraulics, and hydraulic design. The

basic education needs to be supplemented with specialized advanced course work and training to accelerate

development of requisite professional skills. This pamphlet outlines a structure and process for guiding professional development of hydraulic engineers.

b. On-the-job. On-the-job training is a continuous

process. The entry-level hydraulic engineer needs an

experienced mentor with the supervisor carefully selecting

a good match. The entry level engineer generally has

energy, enthusiasm, openess, and a willingness to learn.

The mentor needs to nurture and direct this energy and

enthusiasm. The new engineer will make mistakes and

needs support and assistance to learn and grow. The

mentor must be willing to teach, have patience, and fully

explain the duties of the job. The mentor needs to critically review work and provide feedback and be quick to

provide praise where appropriate. The mentor can also

learn from the hydraulic engineer by listening for new and

fresh ideas and the latest technology changes. On-the-job

training is the most effective way to gain experience and

become competent.

c. Professional engineer registration. All engineers

are strongly encouraged to become registered professional

engineers in the state(s) of their choice to exhibit their

professional ability. Professional engineering registration

is a mandatory requirement for the Chief, Hydrology and

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Hydraulics (H&H) Branch; Assistant Chief, Engineering

Division; and Chief, Engineering Division.

d. Formal training. Hydraulic engineers should

contact their local Training Officer for detailed information on training programs and requirements. Several

programs of importance to engineers are described herein.

(1) Short-term training. Hydraulic engineers should

work with their supervisors to identify developmental

needs. Short courses that meet these needs should be

noted in the employee’s Total Army Performance Evaluation System (TAPES) objectives statements and

attendance scheduled accordingly. Systematic and regular

short course attendance is a valuable strategy to follow to

maintain professional development. The short courses

need not be limited to hydrologic engineering courses.

The short comes can be correspondence, in the office, or

outside the office. They can be either government (such

as the Corps’ PROSPECT Program) or nongovernment

(such as university-sponsored) courses. Another form of

short-term training is executive or technical developmental

assignments or programs less than 120 days in duration.

Short courses and developmental assignments should be

reflected in employee’s TAPES objectives statements.

(2) Long-term training. All engineers should consider

applying for long-term training. Employees will be competitively selected for this training to develop them for

greater responsibility in their career field. Long-term

training includes such Army-wide programs as senior

service colleges, fellowship programs, university programs, training with industry assignments, and developmental assignments over 120 days. The Water Resources

Support Center Professional Development Program is

long-term training, 3 to 6 months in duration, designed to

provide selected candidates broad training and work experience. Three- to six-month TDY assignments are often

available at HQUSACE, divisions, Hydrologic Engineering Center (CEWRC-HEC), Waterways Experiment Station (CEWES), Cold Regions Research and Engineering

Laboratory (CECRL), and other offices.

(3) Hydrologic Engineering Education program

(HEEP). This 12-month program is a part of the

HQUSACE-sponsored long-term training program. The

objective of HEEP is to increase the skills and experience

of engineers in the hydrologic engineering field The

program consists of 9 months (two semesters or three

terms) of study at the selectee’s university of choice followed by summer assignment (approximately 3 months) at

CEWRC-HEC, CEWES, or CECRL. Employees interested in applying for HEEP can contact CECW-EH at

EP 350-2-1

15 Nov 94

(202) 272-8500 for information on suggested accredited

universities and the developmental assignments.

(a) Nominee requirements. Nominees will normally

be in the 0810 civil engineering/hydraulics job classification field employed in a district division, headquarters,

laboratory, or other Corps agency. The nominee is

expected to have an interest in or show excellent promise

in hydrologic engineering and will be expected to make

the Corps of Engineers their career employer. Normal

civil service rules concerned with service time required

foIlowing government-sponsored training will be followed.

Nominees will normally be GS-11/12 engineers possessing a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 4 years of

civilian experience with the Corps of Engineers, including

at least 2 years in the hydrologic engineering field.

(b) Application procedures. Applicants must follow

the application procedures provided in ER 350-1416.

Applications are due to HQUSACE (CEHR-D) 15 January

of each year however, local Human Resources offices

Will set an EARLIER suspense for applications to be

submitted to them. Selections will be announced in

March of each year.

(c) Program curriculum. Study programs pursed by

the student must be a university-approved course of study

within an accredited advanced degree program. The

emphasis of the specific program will be designed by the

student commensurate with his or her interests and consistent with the needs of the Corps. Normally, this will be

determined in consultations between the applicant and his

or her supervisor at the time of application. The following is a list of course topics that are expected to be a

major part of the study program curriculum. The courses

taken will, of course, be dependent on spcific offerings

of the university attended. Most course offerings will

carry 3 or 4 hours of credit.

• Hydrologic Systems.

• Open Channel Hydraulics.

• Hydraulic Structures.

• Statistical Analysis in Water Resources.

• Advanced Mathematics for Engineers.

• Erosion and Sedimentation.

• Urban Water Management.

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EP 350-2-1

15 Nov 94

• Water Systems Modeling.

• Water Resource Management Institutions.

• Water Law.

• Graduate Seminar/Project

• Engineering Hydrology.

• Hydraulic Systems.

• Unsteady-Flow Hydraulics.

• Water Resources System Annalysis

• Design of Water Resource Systems.

• Operations Research.

• River Mechanics.

• Control of Floods and Droughts.

• Economic and Environmental Aspects of Water

Resources.

• Engineering Project Management

• Groundwater Hydrology.

Following two semesters (three quarters) at a university,

the student will arrange for approximately a 90-day

assignment at CEWRC-HEC, CEWES, or CECRL to

work on a specific hydrologic or hydraulic engineering

applications problem The student assignment could be:

working on a problem from their home office; participanting in a research project or assisting with resolving a

policy question. The desirable project is one that would

be completed with a technical report In some instances,

it may be possible to acquire university credit for the

project and subsequent report. Students should make

these arrangements by contacting: Director, CEWRCHEC; Director, Hydraulics Lab, CEWES; or Techhical

Director, CECRL.

e. Professional society participation. Professional

society participation provides self development for the

hydraulic engineer. There are numerous professional

societies for the hydraulic engineer. The most prominent

are the American Society of Civil Engineers, Society of

American Military Engineers, National Society of Professional Engineers, American Public Works Association,

American Water Resources Association, American Geophysical Union, and the Society of Women Engineers.

All engineers in the Corps are encouraged by the Chief of

Engineers to become active members of professional

societies. 

f. Corps technical committees. The Corps has four

technical committees that have memberships comprised of

hydraulic and hydrologic engineers Tidal Hydraulics,

Channel Stabilizaton, Water Quality, and Hydrology.

The purpose, objectives, scope of activities, composition

and other general information for these committees are

contained in ER 15-2-14.

FOR THE COMMANDER:

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