Watershed Field Technician

Basic Information

Contact: Jennifer Roberts
Keywords: Water, Water Quality, Water Protection, Watersheds, Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Ecosystems, Resource Conservation and Protection, Non-point Source Pollution, Data Collection, Data Entry, Data Analysis, Community Education, Community Engagement
Descriptions: Bayou Land RC&D is looking for a committed student to help with field work, specifically water monitoring on Bayou Terrebonne. Bayou Land RC&D holds a contract with LDEQ for Watershed Management, which includes water quality monitoring, analysis of results, and a final Watershed Protection Plan. This internship will revolve around all of these duties. The intern will collect water samples and will work side by side with a Bayou Land staff member to assess water quality twice monthly. The intern will be given training in the proper use of handheld monitoring equipment such as: YSI 85 data sonde, handheld GPS unit and secchi disk as well as in quality control when obtaining samples for laboratory analysis. The intern will also be responsible for data entry, ensuring that all records are correct and concurrent with results from the contract laboratory. The analysis portion of the job will be to evaluate the data that is collected. The intern will be responsible for presenting the data in a clear and concise manner, and offering analysis of why certain findings are the way they are when applicable. The final product the intern will deliver is a First Steps to Watershed Protection Plan. Given the time-frame, the complete Watershed Protection Plan will not be able to be finished since the year of data-collection will not be over. But the intern will produce a First Steps document that will be the beginning of this final Watershed Protection Plan. The document will adhere to LDEQ?s regulations and present the data and analysis so far in the monitoring. At times the intern will also be asked to attend the Watershed Task Force meetings in the community, and to do community outreach on protection of the water body; Bayou Terrebonne. This can be anything from developing handouts on watershed protection, to helping to organize a storm drain cleaning and marking in neighborhoods around the Bayou (recruiting volunteers, finding interested parties, etc.).
Product of Partnership: First Steps to Watershed Protection
Final Product Special Instructions:All training that is necessary to complete the tasks assigned will be provided by Bayou Land RC&D?s Executive Director and Program Coordinator. The intern will collect water samples and will work side by side with a Bayou Land staff member to assess water quality twice monthly. The intern will be responsible for delivering spreadsheets with the entered data, and ensuring that all records are correct and concurrent with results from the contract laboratory. The intern will also be expected to present the data in a First Steps to Watershed Protection final document. This report will be comprehensive and cover all data, analysis, community findings, and next steps of the work done throughout the semester. The intern may also be required to perform community outreach and education as it is needed.
This service activity is availble for .

Requirements

The CP requests emergency contact information.In case of an emergency.
Evaluations/surveys will be requested by community partner to be completed by students.
By the organization. These surveys will be to help improve the internship program.
Students allowed to take pictures or video.
Specific Policies: The student will be trained in quality assurance in order to meet standards set by LDEQ.

Availability

Location and Travel

Part time at Bayou Land RC&D office, at 1000 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Metairie, LA 70005. Part time will be spent in teh field with Bayou Land RC&D staff monitoring on Bayou Terrebonne in Houma, LA.

Supervision and Risk

Check-in at the site: Say hello to supervisor.
Students track their hours at site: There will be a spreadsheet provided for them to fill out monthly.

Semester-long Activity Syllabus