Watershed Ranger

Salt Lake City Corporation•Kitchener, ON

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Under direct supervision of the Watershed Supervisor, incumbent maintains, protects and preserves the Salt Lake City Watershed and related lands and City facilities in and above the foothills. Directly responsible for preserving and stewarding water quality before it enters the water treatment plants, the Watershed Ranger performs patrol, land management, maintenance, education, code enforcement, HAZMAT response and other duties as needed. Interacts with and educates the public, watershed residents and visitors, agencies, ski resorts, and other watershed stakeholders concerning watershed protection and preservation. Enforces, or assists in the enforcement of, watershed ordinances, rules and regulations. This is a uniformed position.

Requirements

Two (2) years post-high school study in one or more of the following fields: forestry, land or watershed management, field hydrology, water treatment or related fields; plus, two (2) years’ work experience in the same aforementioned fields. Experience and education may be substituted one for the other on a year-to-year basis.
Military and law enforcement experience may also be considered on a yearly basis.
Knowledge of basic watershed ordinances and regulations protecting the watershed.
Familiarity with HAZMAT regulations (40-hour HAZMAT training preferable); ability to respond to emergencies.
Strong background in environmental education and related principles.
Ability to make minor repairs and perform routine maintenance with little supervision; operate chain saws, hand and power tools, and sanitary equipment in a safe manner, and occasionally perform physically demanding work, including backcountry travel on foot carrying equipment.
Proven effectiveness in dealing with the general public and other governmental agencies.
Ability to relate well with fellow employees, other department representatives and the general public.
Ability to use and operate a personal computer with applicable software, including Microsoft Office products.
Good written and verbal communication skills.
Must pass and maintain Utah Department of Agriculture herbicide applicators license, Utah Registered Stormwater Inspector certification.
New hires are required to complete and pass these tests in addition to a functional capacity test prior to the end of their initial employment probationary period.
Ability to patrol the watershed and engage the public without assistance.
Possession of a valid state driver’s license or Utah driving privilege card.

Nice To Haves

Preferred BS in forestry, geography, environmental studies, ecology, land or watershed management, field hydrology, water treatment or related field.
Ability to speak and write in Spanish.
Ability to ski and/or snowboard at blue level or above.
Winter snow safety/avalanche training.

Responsibilities

Maintains year-round watershed patrols in recreation, residential and construction zones, as well as backcountry areas, by whatever means available: foot, motor vehicles, mountain bikes, skis, snowshoes, boats, etc.
Responsible for the enforcement of Watershed regulations.
Must be able to use, and direct and supervise persons in, the appropriate methods to correct problems, repair damages, or mitigate hazards.
Locates and corrects actual and potential hazards.
Informs and educates users and user groups on the importance of watershed protection.
Works directly with the appropriate law enforcement agencies to ensure enforcement, prosecution or forceful intervention when needed.
Leads and/or participates in land management projects, including noxious weed mitigation and mapping, fire fuel reduction programs, trail building and maintenance, campground and recreation area management.
Performs and leads completion of tasks related to the City’s Watershed educational programs.
Responsible for educational outreach on watershed policies.
Delivers classroom and field-based watershed education programs.
Helps develop and coordinate educational materials including displays, signage and brochures with other agencies.
Performs regular watershed stewardship activities.
Cleans and maintains watershed toilet facilities to City standards on a regular basis.
Maintains watershed lands and recreation facilities.
Performs semi-skilled maintenance work such as painting, carpentry, system maintenance, building repairs, roofing, and electrical maintenance, plowing, etc., using appropriate hand tools and machinery.
Monitors residential, commercial and ski resort construction within the watershed.
Works closely with building permitting departments and other agencies to ensure construction compliance with watershed ordinance and regulations, including meeting minimum setback requirements and erosion control measures, and any other appropriate mitigation.
Collects samples and evaluates data when appropriate.
Responsible for the notification of authorities of any fire threatening the watershed.
May on occasion be asked to put out small fires when they are identified during the course of routine monitoring and are easily contained with minimal equipment and risk.
Assists in the Utility response to wildfires impacting the watershed.
Coordinates with local fire department and forest service on major firefighting efforts and restoration projects.
Advises campers, canyon residents and others on fire prevention measures.
Responds to hazardous spills, initiates containment, and notifies appropriate agencies for cleanup.
Maintains first response materials on vehicles.
Notifies downstream users, including the water treatment plant, of the hazard to assist in decisions on facility operations.
Files appropriate reports, and maintain records of the incident, along with any information on the cause, for appropriate cost reimbursement.
Develops teams using seasonal employees and organizes and monitors volunteer groups to maintain watershed lands and facilities.
May assist in the hiring, scheduling and management of seasonal employees and contributes to their performance appraisal.
Collects and reports data from monitoring stations, including but not limited to weather, stream flow, snow fall, and trail usage.
Inspects dams and reservoirs.
Maintains records of observations and readings.
Attends meetings with the other entities involved in the watershed.
Makes presentations, answers questions and addresses concerns.
Performs other duties as required.