Hydrologic Technicians
Collect and organize data concerning the distribution and circulation of ground and surface water, and data on its physical, chemical, and biological properties. Measure and report on flow rates and ground water levels, maintain field equipment, collect water samples, install and collect sampling equipment, and process samples for shipment to testing laboratories. May collect data on behalf of hydrologists, engineers, developers, government agencies, or agriculture.
2,840 people do this job in the US. $64,790 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 84%
- 0%
- 16%
Anthropic's data does not cover this job.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 3%. Today's estimate: 4%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 16 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Develop computer models for hydrologic predictions. | 29% | 3.3 work weeks4.2 work days to 2.3 work months | 0%Half by Dec 2029 | |
| Write groundwater contamination reports on known, suspected, or potential hazardous waste sites. | 14% | 2.5 work days6.7 h to 1.3 work weeks | 0%Half by May 2028 | |
| Estimate the costs and benefits of municipal projects, such as hydroelectric power plants, irrigation systems, and wastewater treatment facilities. | 12% | 2.1 work days6.7 h to 1 work week | 0%Half by Feb 2028 | |
| Investigate the properties, origins, or activities of glaciers, ice, snow, or permafrost. | 9% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 4.2 work days | Stays with people | |
| Apply research findings to minimize the environmental impacts of pollution, waterborne diseases, erosion, or sedimentation. | 7% | 1.3 work days3.3 h to 3.3 work days | 3%Half by Nov 2027 | |
| Investigate complaints or conflicts related to the alteration of public waters by gathering information, recommending alternatives, or preparing legal documents. | 7% | 1.3 work days3.3 h to 4.2 work days | 4%Half by Dec 2027 | |
| Analyze ecological data about the impact of pollution, erosion, floods, and other environmental problems on bodies of water. | 5% | 6.7 h2.5 h to 1.7 work days | 10%Half by May 2027 | |
| Assist in designing programs to ensure the proper sealing of abandoned wells. | 5% | 6.7 h2.5 h to 2.1 work days | 10%Half by Jun 2027 | |
| Write materials for research publications, such as maps, tables, and reports, to disseminate findings. | 5% | 6.7 h2.5 h to 2.5 work days | 9%Half by Jul 2027 | |
| Collect water and soil samples to test for physical, chemical, or biological properties, such as pH, oxygen level, temperature, and pollution. | 2% | 3.3 h1.3 h to 1 work day | Stays with people | |
| Prepare, install, maintain, or repair equipment used for hydrologic study, such as water level recorders, stream flow gauges, and water analyzers. | 2% | 3.3 h1.3 h to 1.3 work days | Stays with people | |
| Measure the properties of bodies of water, such as water levels, volume, and flow. | 2% | 2.5 h1.3 h to 6.7 h | Stays with people |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Hydrologists0% now, 37% by 2028
- Water/Wastewater Engineers3% now, 43% by 2028
- Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians13% now, 41% by 2028
- Water Resource Specialists1% now, 77% by 2028
- Conservation Scientists19% now, 70% by 2028
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health4% now, 57% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).