Durk - Hydrologist
Is it too dry or too wet? I seek answers to these questions. I am an analyst, modeller, and advisor in the field of water quantities that move through the management area of our water authority. But you can also see me as an accountant. How much water enters our area and how much leaves it? And how much water should there be in an ideal situation? I take stock of the situation.
‘Data is important for my work’
Making predictions
Together with water level managers, I look at water management. And I perform water system analyses. How much water is there, how much water falls, how much water can we store, and how wide should a watercourse be? Data and models are important in my work. Based on the water balance, a rain gauge, and the weather forecast, you can predict the best use for the pumping stations the next day.
‘I check whether choices have the desired result in practice.’
But also if a new weir has to be installed somewhere, colleagues ask me to calculate what the consequences will be for water management in the area. I determine a number of scenarios with precipitation models. Sometimes a model differs from reality. That's why I often visit the site to see whether the choices based on theory have the desired result in practice. And if not, why not? Are there ditches or streams that do not drain water at all, or does the water drain away too quickly? Are the locations of certain waterworks, such as weirs or culverts, logical? And what causes certain water levels or groundwater levels? Water management is a challenging puzzle.
Being prepared for climate change
I think about future water management, such as preparing for climate change. We are experiencing more frequent extreme rainfall and shortages of freshwater. How can our water authority take measures and make optimuml use of the sponge effect of the soil, for example?
Data training
I enjoy being able to exchange knowledge and experience with colleagues from other water authorities. I do this as part of the DEEP program, the Data Science and Engineering Expert Programme of the Waterschapshuis. This is a training programme for digital transformation. Data science is a relatively new field that is becoming increasingly important for water management. I find the data side very interesting and am happy to use this expertise to ensure that we maintain enough and clean water in our region.
Will it be water-management work for you too?
We work together to get the water balance just right. But we think a good work-life balance is just as important! When you work for us, you can combine meaningful work with job satisfaction and great terms of employment.
