Hydrologist - Water Rights Specialist

Work Unit Overview:

The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) is tasked with managing Montana's land and water resources for the benefit of Montanans. The Department is organized into the director's office, five divisions, and an extensive network of statewide field offices.

The Agriculture and Grazing Management Bureau (AGMB) is responsible for the statewide administration and management of the agricultural and grazing lease and license programs on state owned lands, the state land Recreational Use Program, and the coordination of all noxious weed control activities for all Divisions of DNRC. The AGMB is functionally divided into the Leasing Section and the Land Management Section. The Leasing section is responsible for lease and license issuance, administration, and revenue collections; and the Land Management Section is charged with Water Rights administration, and management of the land and the associated physical resource components.

The Land Management Section (LMS) oversees the management of the agricultural and livestock grazing activities, and the recreational use of all State Trust Lands. The LMS administers the state lands archeological, paleontological, and historical resource programs for the Trust Lands Management Division. The section administers the Trust Lands Water Rights programs, provides technical assistance to other division programs pertaining to soils, hydrology, and vegetation management, and it ensures MEPA compliance for all agricultural and grazing related activities on the administered lands. The LMS oversees and coordinates noxious weed control, planning, and management activities for all divisions of DNRC. LMS responsibilities include oversight over the evaluation and assessment of range and cropland conditions and crop production; investigations of lease terms noncompliance; administering Trust Land participation in Federal Farm Programs; and oversight of water developments, Water Rights, and range and agricultural land improvement projects such as range renovations, and resource development; development and negotiation of cash rental agreements for agricultural leases; and review of environmental documents prepared under MEPA for all actions proposed for state lands under the Trust Land Division agricultural and grazing management programs.

Job Overview:

This position serves as the Water Rights Specialist/Program Manager and Hydrologist for the Agriculture and Grazing Management Bureau of the Trust Lands Division in the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. The incumbent manages the Trust Lands Water Rights program, including statewide Water Rights adjudication and administrative Water Rights; provides expertise to the Real Estate Management Bureau in support of the Land Banking Program and cabin site sales; develops policies and strategies for hydrology management and Water Rights regulation; conducts research on various Water Rights issues; provides technical assistance to other departments, project designers, etc.; and performs a variety of other duties as needed.

Essential Functions (Major Duties or Responsibilities): These job functions are the essential duties of the position and are not all-inclusive of all the duties that may be assigned to the incumbent.

• Water Rights Program Manager
  • The incumbent manages all aspects of the Water Rights program for the Trust Lands Division. The incumbent develops and implements policies and procedures and serves as the FTLD technical authority on water right issues. These duties require an advanced knowledge of concepts and theories of water laws and regulation, surface and ground water hydrology, soils, geology, engineering, agricultural cropping systems, and negotiation and communication methods and practices, and the ability to translate technical data to staff and individuals of varied technical levels, establish and maintain effective working relationships with lessees, FTLD staff and managers, special interest groups, and other state and federal agencies, remain objective in controversial situations, and adequately perform duties while enduring significant public exposure. The incumbent receives minimal supervision for this program.
• Water Rights Adjudication Program
  • The incumbent represents the Trust Lands water right interests (approximately 10,000 pre -1973 Water Rights) in the Statewide Water Rights Adjudication process before the Montana Water Court to protect existing trust water right assets; contest or challenge private rights that adversely affect existing trust rights; and to capture rights that are in the names of private parties, but that are rightfully owned by the trust. Negotiations with state lessees and other private parties may be highly stressful, confrontational, and/or contentious as the incumbent will often be attempting to capture in the name of the state, what is a private property right, but that is appropriately held in the name of the State. The court issues water right decrees with established objection periods to provide opportunity for resolution of various and oftentimes complex water right issues.

• New Appropriations Water Rights
  • The incumbent is responsible for managing the Water Rights New Appropriations Program for Trust Lands to include post 1973 filings on new water use developments to include irrigation, stock water, commercial, and other water uses on Trust Lands.

Other Duties: This position serves as a resource specialist and conducts research to promote the effectiveness of department procedures. The incumbent participates in the review of Federal Reserve Water Right compacts; provides technical expertise and professional consultation to staff; serves as liaison between DNRC and various state and federal regulatory agencies; and participates as a technical witness in various meetings representing the position of the FTLD.

This position does not supervise

APPLICATION MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION ARE:

• Cover Letter
• resume

TIP: When attaching your documents, you must mark the attachments as "relevant".

BENEFITS:

• Health Care & Benefits
• Retirement
• Paid Vacation, Sick Leave and Holidays

For any questions regarding this position, please contact Becky Quick at 406-444-6673 or at Rebecca.Quick@mt.gov.

This position may be eligible for a statutory increase effective July 1, 2024.

Minimum Qualifications (Education and Experience):

• Bachelor’s degree in hydrology, earth science, environmental science, geology, engineering, or water resources.
• Other combinations of education or experience may be substituted.

Special Information: Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States. A valid driver's license is required with less than 12 conviction points in the most recent completed 36 months.

Eligibility to Work: In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, the person selected must produce within three days of hire documents that show authorization to work in the United States. Examples of such documentation include a birth certificate or Social Security card along with a driver’s license or other picture I.D., or a U.S. passport, or a "green card". The State of Montana does not Sponsor.