Cameron Ensor

Career Experience

As a Hydrologic Technician, my primary responsibility is the collection of continuous Surface Water and Water Quality Data within Pennsylvania. This data collection includes making regular discharge measurements, evaluation of data, and maintaining instruments and infrastructure within the streamgaging network across the state. A key component of the position has become staying on the leading edge of technological advancements in both data processing programs and data collection instrumentation. Running multi-disciplinary field trips throughout the state presents ever changing conditions and challenges. This requires finding creative solutions in infrastructure installation for each gage's unique characteristics, equipment needs, and stream dynamics.   

Prior to working with the USGS, I was as an Environmental-Scientific Technician in the Division of Water Quality Standards, for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. This position expanded my knowledge of Surface Water Ecology. My duties included collection of discrete water quality data via multi-parameter sondes as part of the Continuous In-stream Monitoring (CIM) protocol; collection of macro-invertebrates, aquatic plants, and fish population surveys for Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scoring as part of the In-stream Comprehensive Evaluation (ICE) protocol; and habitat assessments, fish tissue analysis for consumption advisories, chemical/bacteriological sampling and radiation sediment sampling.