Major roles of a geologist in support of NRCS programs.

1. Major roles of a geologist in support of NRCS programs. NPEG 2002 Geology #1

2. Summary • Characteristics of geologists • History of SCS/NRCS • Roles of geologists within NRCS • Careers in geology Roles of Geologist in NRCS

3. NRCS Geologists 1999 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

4. GEOLOGISTSWhat are they like?? • Professional observers • Multi-dimensional thinking and visualization • Comfortable with uncertainty, trained to make scientific interpretations based upon limited information, “it depends…” • Intuitive • Time means nothing and everything! Roles of Geologist in NRCS

5. Roles of Geologist in NRCS

6. TOP TEN SIGNS YOU MIGHT BE A GEOLOGIST 10. You have ever had to respond "yes" to the question, "What have you got in here, rocks?" 9. You have ever taken a 22-passenger van over "roads" that were really intended only for cattle… 8. You have ever found yourself trying to explain to airport security that a rock hammer isn't really a weapon… 7. Your rock garden is located inside your house… 6. You have ever hung a picture using a Brunton compass as a level… 5. Your collection of beer cans and/or bottles rivals the size of your rock collection… Roles of Geologist in NRCS

7. 4. You consider a "recent event" to be anything that has happened in the last hundred thousand years… 3. Your photos include people only for scale and you have more pictures of your rock hammer and lens cap than of your family… 2. You have ever been on a field trip that included scheduled stops at a gravel pit… AND THE #1 SIGN YOU MIGHT BE A GEOLOGIST: 1. You have ever uttered the phrase "have you tried licking it?” in the most professional sense possible. Roles of Geologist in NRCS

8. GEOLOGISTSWhat do they do?? • “We help conservation districts to improve land and water use, to help them understand how to put land and water to the uses for which they are best suited. Our function is to interpret, extend, and apply to the purposes of agriculture the knowledge of geology.” • Paper for Colorado School of Mines, 1982, Dan Griswold, Portland NTC geologist Roles of Geologist in NRCS

9. A little history of geology in the SCS • 1930’s: Dust bowl in southwestern Great Plains • 1935: SCS created by Congress, because “soil erosion is a menace to the national welfare”. • 1950’s: PL-566 and high geo-visibility Hugh Hammond Bennett, 1881-1960 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

10. Chronosequence of Dam Construction in the United States From Before 1800 to 1993 Based on data in the National Inventory of Dams. Symbol size and darkness correspond to the size of the reservoir. Black and grey symbols correspond to dams older than the indicated time interval. Red symbols correspond to dams constructed during the time interval. Prepared by Robert Stallard US Geological Survey Boulder, CO 80303-1066 e-mail: stallard@usgs.gov Roles of Geologist in NRCS

11. NID: 1600-2000 Roles of Geologist in NRCS Hit space bar to start sequence.

12. NID: Pre-1800 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

13. NID: 1801-1810 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

14. NID: 1811-1820 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

15. NID: 1821-1830 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

16. NID: 1831-1840 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

17. NID: 1841-1850 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

18. NID: 1851-1860 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

19. NID: 1861-1870 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

20. NID: 1871-1880 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

21. NID: 1881-1890 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

22. NID: 1891-1900 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

23. NID: 1901-1910 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

24. NID: 1911-1920 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

25. NID: 1921-1930 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

26. NID: 1931-1940 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

27. NID: 1941-1950 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

28. NID: 1951-1960 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

29. NID: 1961-1970 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

30. NID: 1971-1980 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

31. NID: 1981-1990 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

32. NID: 1991-2000 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

33. NID: 1600-2000 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

34. A little more history of geology in the SCS • 1960’s: Geo peak (about 130 geologists) • 1962: Silent Spring published • 1969: National Environmental Policy Act • 1970’s: Segue to environmental emphasis • 1985: Farm Bill • USDA program eligibility linked to performance • wetland identification • 1995: SCS became NRCS Roles of Geologist in NRCS

35. A little more history of geology in the NRCS • 1990’s: We’re melting……….. • 2000: National Design, Construction, and Soil Mechanics Center staffed • 2001: three new geologists, and maybe more….. Roles of Geologist in NRCS

36. Geologists roles within the NRCS • NEM 531 • Appropriate consideration of regional, local, and onsite geologic conditions is basic to sound conservation planning and engineering design in all NRCS programs. Roles of Geologist in NRCS

37. Geologists roles within the NRCS • Engineering geology • Erosion and sedimentation • Ground water geology • Soil survey support • Contract administration • Geology training for field personnel • Professional relations • Cool stuff Roles of Geologist in NRCS

38. Geologists roles within the NRCS • All project phases • Planning • Design • Construction • Inspection • As-built geologic plans and profiles • Operations and repair • Rehabilitation • Decommissioning Roles of Geologist in NRCS

39. Engineering Geology • Types of structures/projects • Dams and ponds • Diversions • Channels and dikes • Grade control structures • Slope stability problems • EWP • Flooding and channel work • Fires--sediment Roles of Geologist in NRCS

40. Houston flooding, 2001 Roles of Geologist in NRCS

41. Fires Roles of Geologist in NRCS Western Montana, 2000

42. Erosion and Sedimentation • Types of projects • Watershed sediment yield • Sediment storage in reservoirs • Damage assessments • Streambank erosion • Concentrated flow erosion (gullies) • Water-quality aspects of sedimentation • Coastal processes Roles of Geologist in NRCS

43. Erosion and Sedimentation--What could happen if there was no geologic investigation????? • Watershed sediment yield • Streambank erosion • Water-quality aspects of sedimentation Roles of Geologist in NRCS

44. Ground Water Geology • Quantity • Stockwater and irrigation well design • Spring development • Infiltration studies Roles of Geologist in NRCS

45. Ground Water Geology • Quality • Animal waste storage facilities • Saline seep investigations • Contaminant migration studies • Computer modeling Saline seep, Teton County, Montana Roles of Geologist in NRCS

46. Soil Survey Support • Provide geology narrative for soil surveys • Assist soil scientists with: • Parent materials • Relative ages • Geomorphology Roles of Geologist in NRCS

47. Soil Survey Support • Geology narrative for soil survey manuscripts: • Physiography and drainage • Geologic history and regional geology • Geologic units • Groundwater • Special stuff: • Mining/oil and gas • Seismicity • Geothermal Resources Roles of Geologist in NRCS

48. Contract Administration • Geologic services are frequently obtained through contracting (> $$$): • Write contract specifications • Service contracts (A & E) • Supervise the contractors • Review and accept the • resulting reports Roles of Geologist in NRCS

49. Geology training for field personnel • Provide training on: • State and local geology and geomorphology • Unified Soil Classification System • Groundwater • To: • Technicians • Engineers • Soil Conservationists • Soil Scientists Roles of Geologist in NRCS

50. Professional relations Participation in professional societies • ++++’s • Good meetings, nice locations, great field trips • Most meetings count as continuing ed. credits • Learn new technology, meetings and publications • Great network of contacts • If you serve as an officer or committee member • influence the direction of the organization • introduce newcomers to “the way we’ve always done it” • ----’s • Piles of publications, dusting Roles of Geologist in NRCS