Samuel Brooks

My job involves working with, and extracting environmental parameters (i.e., river flow, rainfall, reservoir levels, groundwater levels) for our internal and external customers. The analysis and interpretation of this data feeds into numerous flow requests (estimating flows in the required location), technical assessments, and quality assuring river flow data, that I help complete. These tasks help quantify the impact of water abstractions on river flows across the West Midlands. I also work on several reporting tasks: one of these is the Water Situation Report, which is published live on the government website each month that presents monthly river flows, reservoir levels, groundwater levels, soil moisture levels and rainfall).

Furthermore, I undertake Surface Water Quality Assurance checks on river gauges throughout the West Midlands. This involves gaining an understanding of the gauge’s catchment, through identifying artificial influences (discharges, abstractions, and impoundments), and then quality-assessing the gauge’s flow record.

My master’s degree helped build upon my previous hydrological knowledge. Modules such as Tools for River Research and Management, GIS for Environment Management and my own dissertation allowed me in my interview to showcase specific skills needed in a hydrology role, such as river catchment knowledge, data analysis, and team working.

What I found most beneficial about the master’s were the numerous modules that require you to work with large datasets (i.e. river flow, water and air temperature and wind parameters). This helped build my competence of statistical analysis techniques and experience using environmental parameters, which are paramount in my role.

Furthermore, the dissertation helped spark my interest in hydrology, where I was able to use river flow and Standard Precipitation Indices data to investigate the impact of drought on fish. 

This Master’s, alongside invaluable work experience gained through a placement year and a summer internship at the Environment Agency, helped me secure my current role. Anyone looking to enter the environmental sector, I strongly recommend doing the Master’s in Environment Monitoring, Research and Management.