# Conservation Engineering Staff Responsibilities 

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-  Conservation Engineering Staff Responsibilities  

**Vision:*****Excellence in Conservation, by Design***

**Mission:*****Leading innovative engineering solutions to natural resources conservation***

**Director – Kevin Farmer, P.E.**
              - Leadership and Supervision
              - Engineering policy and direction
              - Engineering advice and guidance to Chief and top leadership
              - USDA Dam Safety Officer
              - NRCS Dam Safety Officer and USDA’s representative on Interagency Committee on Dam Safety (ICODS)
              - Engineering job approval authority process
              - National Design, Construction, Soil Mechanics Center
              - National Soil Mechanics Laboratories
              - National Water Management Center
              - Geological Services Unit (GSU)
              - Water Resources Programs Implementation - Emergency Watershed Protection Program, Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program, Watershed Surveys and Planning, Watershed Operations, and Watershed Rehabilitation

**National Agricultural Engineer – Vacant**
              - Engineering leadership for Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG)
              - National Conservation Practice Standards (CPS) (162), plus Interim Practice Standards, and National CPS Data Steward
              - Chair, National Conservation Practice Standards Subcommittee (NCPSS)
              - National Conservation Planning Manual
              - Erosion prediction technology
              - Engineering Business Area Advisory Group (EBAAG)
              - S&T contact for Combined Reviews

**National Civil Engineer –**Atiq Syed, P.E.**
              - Engineering policy and directive issues
              - Professional practice and general engineering issues
              - CED budget coordination

**National Construction Engineer – Arthur Ramthun, P.E.**
              - ASTM and AWWA standards coordination
              - Construction management
              - Maintenance of materials specifications and construction specifications
              - Contract Administration coordination
              - COTAR for watershed planning IDIQ A&E contracts
              - International Erosion Control Association (IECA) Liaison
              - Land Improvement Contractors Association (LICA) Liaison
              - Association of General Contractors (AGC) Liaison
              - Radiation safety coordination

**National Design Engineer – Carmen Berry, P.E. (Acting)**
              - Dam safety and dams inventory
              - Engineering job approval
              - Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) liaison
              - Design standard variance requests
              - Review of engineering reports
              - Represents Director on Inter-Agency Committee on Dam Safety (ICODS)
              - Represents Director on National Dam Safety Review Board (NDSRB)
              - Coordinates engineering research activities with Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
              - Represents Director on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – National Infra-structure Protection Plan - Dam Sector – Governmental Coordinating Council (GCC)
              - American Concrete Institute (ACI) Standards Coordination

**National Energy Engineer – Terri Ruch, P.E.**
              - Agricultural Energy Conservation
              - Agricultural Energy Efficiency
              - Alternative and Renewable Energy Utilization
              - USDA Partnership Team (Energy, Manure Management, and Livestock Emissions) Representative
              - Technical coordination of State Technical Leads for Energy Quality Assurance

**National Environmental Engineer – Bill Reck, P.E.**
              - Agricultural manure and waste management
              - Manure Management Planning (CNMP)
              - Animal Waste Management Design Software
              - Agricultural Water quality
              - Mortality management
              - Pathogen management
              - NFWF Chesapeake Bay CIG technical contact
              - USDA-EPA CED liaison
              - Farm Pilot Project coordination
              - Energy coordination (methane conversion, wind, etc.)

**National Geologist – Susan Grover, LPG**
              - Sedimentation
              - Groundwater
              - Geomorphology
              - Streams and Channels
              - Stream restoration technology and standards
              - Agency Membership on the Advisory Committee for Water Information, Subcommittee on Sedimentation (SOS)
              - Project Manager for Geological Services Unit (GSU), comprised of 38 NRCS geologists in 27 states, providing nationwide services, funded entirely through CED.

**National Hydraulic Engineer – Hong Wang, Ph.D., P.E.**
              - Hydrology and Hydraulics
              - ARS Hydrology Lab liaison
              - Climate and meteorology
              - Storm water management
              - Water supply and conservation
              - Represent Director on Department of Homeland Security, National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) Government Coordinating Council—Water Sector

**National Water Management Engineer – Alan Gillespie, P.E.**
              - Irrigation Water Management
              - Livestock Water Management
              - Drainage Water Management
              - Wetlands Restoration/Creation
              - USDI-Bureau of Reclamation Liaison
              - USDI-Bureau of Indian Affairs Irrigation Liaison
              - USDA-ARS Irrigation liaison
              - Irrigation Association liaison
              - Subcommittee on Water Quality and Availability member
              - Agricultural Drainage Management Systems Task Force co-chair
              - Bridging-the-Headgate Partnership Member
              - 2008 Farm Bill Cost-share program coordination

**National Engineering Software Coordinator – Ken Worster, P.E.**
              - Engineering Software Development
              - Information Technology Center liaison – S&T deputy area wide
              - Chief’s Cost Savings and Streamlining initiatives (CDSI)
              - Engineering tools integration (GPS, GIS, CAD, CADD)

**Administrative Assistant – Monique Martin and Latoya Makle**
              - Secretary to the Director
              - Correspondence management
              - Office management and scheduling
              - Mail and Travel management 
              - Time and attendance
              - Order forms, publications, and supplies 

This reference chart is not a complete list of duties.  The listed items highlight cross-cutting or team leadership responsibilities.