Protecting Water Resources with Community Education

Robert Simmons
Water Resources Agent Washington State Cooperative Extension

Bob Simmons earned a bachelor's degree in geomechanical engineering from the University of Rochester (1985) and a master's degree from URI in Water Resources Management (1991). Prior to becoming involved in water resources, Bob was an operations engineer for a natural gas distribution firm and an assistant project manager for a contruction firm. Bob enjoys hiking, traveling, skiing, and carpentry in his spare time. 

The importance of clean water to Washington State's marine and freshwater resources, to its commercial enterprises, and to its citizens cannot be overemphasized. In my work as a Water Resources Agent with Washington State University (WSU) Cooperative Extension, I have developed numerous community education and involvement programs related to water resource protection on Washington State's Olympic Peninsula. The key to my work is developing proactive public education programs that help protect Puget Sound's environment and its world-renowned salmon and shellfish resources. I also provide leadership for WSU's Water Quality Management Team, which coordinates Cooperative Extension's water quality programs on a statewide basis.
     After completing my master's degree in Natural Resources Science at the University of Rhode Island in 1991, I took six months off and traveled through the Alps, into Eastern Europe, and through the Middle East and northern Africa. I eventually ended up in Corvallis, Oregon, working on a subcontract with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to compile information on the best management practices for watersheds as they relate to agriculture and forestry. Then I moved to Puget Sound to begin work as a community educator with WSU Cooperative Extension. I enjoy working proactively to protect water quality in an area where the waters are still fairly pristine. I find it satisfying to protect and improve the environment where I live.
     My experiences at URI helped to develop my research and analytical thinking skills. Being a water resources agent in a rural county with limited resources, I am required to find solutions to a wide range of water quality problems, from septic systems to stream restoration. I depend on my skills to gather information and communicate effectively to help solve or prevent problems.
     To be effective in a science career, it is essential to know how to get the information we need and to use it efficiently. Good, consistent communication at all levels (colleagues, co-workers, supervisors, clients) is a necessity in any work environment. It is important to keep the big picture in mind, to keep the ultimate purpose and goals of a project or program at the forefront, and to pay attention to detail. In my work I often ask myself, "Will this program help keep Puget Sound clean?"