Bureau of Indian Affairs Water Resources Technical Training Program. For American Indians and Alaska Natives

Transcription

1 Bureau of Indian Affairs Water Resources Technical Training Program For American Indians and Alaska Natives U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs Washington, D.C. Revised 2011

2 Table of Contents Introduction... 1 Background... 2 Admission to the Program... 3 Housing... 4 Dinning... 4 Motor Vehicles... 4 Student Identification Cards... 4 Student Health Service and Insurance... 4 Curriculum... 4 A. Introduction to Water Resources... 4 B. Irrigation... 5 C. Dam safety... 6 D. Hydropower... 7 E. Project Assignment... 7 Graduation... 8 i

3 Bureau of Indian Affairs Water Resources Technical Training Program for American Indians and Alaska Natives Introduction The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) recognizes the need for trained individuals to identify and manage water issues within tribal lands. The increase in population, land development and industrial growth in urban areas has increased the demand for quality water. Tribal officials are challenged to preserve and best manage the limited water resources and to promote maximum economic and cultural growth as well as Tribal self-sufficiency. To meet this need, a four-week intensive course in Water Resources Technical Training was developed under the direction of Mr. Mo Baloch, P.E., water rights engineer at Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington, D.C. This program has been enacted every summer from The goal of the Program is to enable tribal governments to become self-sufficient and increase economic growth through better management and utilization of their water resources. The Program covers diverse aspects of water resources, including groundwater, surface water, water and waste water treatment, water law and regulations, dam operations, dam maintenance and safety, hydropower, flood control structures, irrigation, and climate. In addition, students are introduced to technical writing, computer skills, giving Power Point presentations and developing proposals. Students who successfully complete the training course receive a voucher from BIA through their Tribal government, valid for one year of full-time temporary employment as an entry level water resources technician. This provides a skilled work force to deal with the physical, environmental, economic, administrative, cultural aspects of water resources, and meets the shortage of technical personnel for the tribal governments. On the individual development level, the Program has encouraged many of the student-trainees to further their education and pursue a career in natural resources management. Various federal and state agencies have provided instructors since 1992 on the different aspects of water resource management. These included members from the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Office of Surface Mining, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly U.S. Soil Conservation Service), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, U.S Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S Air Force, U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Elephant Butte Irrigation District. 1

4 Background Today, more than ever, American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States face numerous threats to their natural resources and increasing difficulties in developing means to protect those resources. In the twenty-first century, no issue will be more important than water. The outcome of current Indian water rights negotiation and litigation efforts have the potential to boost the future economic development of many Indian tribes and may have significant impact on tribal sovereignty. In the 1800s, many Indian tribes signed treaties ceding large tracts of land to the United States and agreed to settle in reservations to preserve their tribal societies and maintain their way of life. The United States government guaranteed that the Indian tribes would have sufficient land and natural resources on the reservations to be self-sufficient. In 1908 the Supreme Court held in Winters v. United States, 207 U.S. 564 (1908) that when the reservations were established, the United States reserved water rights and other resources which were necessary for the current and future livelihood of Indian tribes. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) recognized the importance of water resources to Indian tribes and the need of tribal governments for technical personnel to monitor water quality on the reservations and to develop and manage the tribe s water resources. BIA developed the Water Resources Training Program to produce a cadre of entry-level water resource technical personnel who would help in alleviating the shortage of technical expertise on Indian reservations. The training program exposes the student-trainees to complex technical courses on water resources engineering so that they may apply the basic concepts they have learned to the development and management of their own tribal natural resources. The Program was developed and offered for the first time in 1992 at CISPUS Learning Center at Randle, Washington. Water resources engineering is the application of science that deals with the engineering aspects of surface and groundwater hydrology, hydraulics, water resources planning and design. It involves the analysis of qualitative and quantitative water issues and the search for appropriate solutions. This Program covers the diverse aspects of water resources, including groundwater, surface water, water and wastewater treatment, water law and regulations. The Program consists of four weeks of basic water resources training where student trainees attend classes six days per week. At the end of the four weeks each student trainee returns to his or her home reservation to complete one year on the job training. This Program requires a strong background in mathematics and computer skills to successfully complete. A high priority is placed on providing individual tutoring in the evenings for student trainees who are weak in mathematics or basic skills of computers, or just need a refresher course in a particular subject. Generally, the tutors are university graduate or undergraduate students majoring in mathematics or engineering. 2

5 The Program consists of a combination of classroom instructions and field trips. The classroom sessions cover the basics of surface and ground water hydrology; dam operations, maintenance, safety and hydro-power; flood control structures and problems; analysis of hydrologic data, groundwater movement and modeling; basic pipe and culvert design; drinking water and waste water treatment plant operations; irrigation; surface and groundwater pollution; solid waste management of hazardous waste, cleanup of hazardous waste and emergency response; wetland protection; basic fish and wildlife biology and fish hatchery operation among others. The Program has produced 750 graduates from over 287 tribes from 1992 to Tribes have benefited from the Program by getting trained technical personnel who are familiar with their reservations and its natural resources. For many student trainees, the Program has had a major impact on their careers and quality of life. Some of the graduates have entered college after completing the Program, while others have obtained permanent jobs for the first time in their lives. Admission to the Program In order to be considered for the Program the candidates must meet the following criteria with documentation: 1. Endorsement from a federally recognized tribal government, preferably the Chairman, Governor, or Head of Nations 2. High School Diploma or GED 3. Plans to pursue education or career development 4. Brief, one-page, statement describing reasons for wanting to attend the Program 5. Copy of Certification of Membership in a federally recognized tribe 6. Signed pledge stating that the participant will remain alcohol and drug free during the Program. A VIOLATION OF THE PLEDGE WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL FROM THE PROGRAM University graduate or undergraduate students are available in the evenings to tutor basic mathematics and computers for those who need a refresher course. Students who are accepted for the training Program and breaks the policies and rules of the University will be dismissed. 3

6 Housing All students are expected to reside in University dormitory. University dormitory has laundry facilities, television lounge, access to the internet, and study lounge. Students are responsible for any damages caused to University properties. Dinning Meal services are provided for the participants by University cafeteria. In addition, refreshments are offered during the day. Lunch bags and snacks are provided during the field trips. Motor Vehicles Students attending the training are discouraged to bring vehicles on campus. Student Identification Cards Students are offered temporary identification cards for access to library, activity center and other University facilities. Student Health Service and Insurance All students attending the Program are required to have their own insurance coverage. University and BIA are not responsible for health related services. Curriculum The Training Program consists of a combination of classroom instructions, laboratory experiments and field trips. The classroom sessions cover the basics of water resources engineering. Laboratory sessions and field trips are used to expose student trainees to the stateof-the-art technology, commonly used equipment in the field of water resources and also provide hands-on experience. The following are subtopics of the Training Program: A. Introduction to Water Resources 1. Basic mathematics and computer skills related to water resources 2. Introduction to water resources engineering 3. Surface hydrology - Topics in quantitative hydrology including flood hydrology are covered. 4. Groundwater hydrology Principles of groundwater hydrology and models (hands-on groundwater software) 5. Soil classification standard of soil classification, laboratory soil sieve analysis, soil porosity and density, etc. 6. Principles in environmental engineering and science - Physical, chemical and biological processes in water and wastewater treatment systems and their relationship to the environment. 4

7 7. Hazardous Waste - Emergency response operations, site characterization and basic HAZMAT recognition, emergency response guidebook and exercise, personal protection equipment and exercise, hazard categorization and demonstration/exercise 8. Fish and Wildlife - basic fish and wildlife biology and habitat; monitoring and maintaining clean/non-polluted habitat for fish, wildlife, and other micro-organisms; fish hatcheries and sampling. B. Irrigation Agricultural arable lands Geologic process and properties of agricultural soils Soil classification and characteristics 5

8 Irrigation hydraulic structures storage reservoirs, spillways, canals, gates and check structures. Water conveyance, distribution, drainage and seepage. Crop water management - Crop water requirements, measurements and irrigation scheduling Irrigation project operation and maintenance GIS application in irrigation management C. Dam safety Introduction to Dam safety Types of Dams Hydraulics inlet and outlet structures Causes of Dam failure The inspection program Dam safety laws Inspection of Dams and reporting Operation and maintenance of Dams and control structures Emergency actions and procedures 6

9 D. Hydropower Introduction to hydropower Generation of electricity energy potential (stream flow and head), conduit, power plant Types of turbines and characteristics- impulse turbines (Pelton turbines) and reaction turbines (Francis, Fixed-blade propeller) Terms and definitions Power, energy and efficiency Generators and Power distribution Planning and management of reservoirs E. Project Assignment Students are required to write a technical report and give a Power Point presentation on a water related topic that is of concern to their reservation. 7

10 Graduation Student trainees must meet at least the following to graduate: Punctual attendance: attend all classroom and field sessions Participation: participate in classroom discussions, laboratory experiments and field trips Project report and Power Point presentation Pass quizzes and 1 exam Graduation endorsement by BIA and the University Program administrators Contact Information Mo Baloch, P.E. Water Rights Engineer Specialist Washington, D.C Tel. (202)