Women’s History Month
Highlighting women in the groundwater industry
Leslie Dumas, PE, D.WRE
Sr. Principal/Sr. Water Resources Engineer
Woodard & Curran
NGWA Member
How did you enter the groundwater industry?
I actually got into the water field by accident. Originally, I wanted to design bridges and dams, but discovered that structural engineering wasn’t my “thing.” Through the engineering licensing requirement that all civil engineers know
something about all the varied disciplines, I (like many others) took my required hydraulics and hydrology classes where I discovered that I “got” and really liked working in the water field. I majored in surface water hydrology in college
and in the 1980s, when the Superfund work was booming, ended up leveraging my surface water modeling skills to do groundwater modeling…and I’ve been doing groundwater work ever since.
What has been your proudest career achievement so far?
Being recognized as an “expert” in my field. I don’t feel like an expert, only someone who’s seen a lot of different scenarios. And I’m constantly learning from others, regardless of their years of experience. Everyone sees
things differently, and it’s through this teamwork that I feel we construct the best solutions to the problems we are asked to resolve.
Who influenced you to dive deeper into a groundwater-related industry?
No one person really influenced me into my deeper dive into groundwater; it was really more curiosity and the desire to basically know everything (as if that was possible). The thing I’ve always loved about groundwater work is that it’s a
puzzle. We are given specific locations and depths at which we know somewhat detailed information, and, from there, we have to formulate “pictures” (e.g., conceptual and numerical models) to describe what’s going on. Groundwater
work is both a science and an art, a perfect blend of experience and innovation. And no project (or picture) is ever exactly the same as another.
What do you hope for the future of groundwater, hydrogeology, and/or environmental science?
If you asked my daughters, they would say that I always assume that anyone can do what I do…and I believe that. I hope that every young woman, no matter what their age, continues to follow their curiosity in understanding how our world works and
has the confidence to plow their way forward, using their voices and their skills to actively solve problems and to advocate for what they feel is the right course of action.
What advice would you give to the next generation of female groundwater professionals?
Follow your natural sense of curiosity, always keep learning, listen to others, and make your own voice heard. You can do this, but you don’t have to do it all by yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and offer help where you can. In
my religion we have this belief called tikkun olam that translates generally to “repair the world,” but, in practice, it reflects the individual responsibility to leave this world even a slightly better place than when you joined
it. And by doing this, we slowly, together, make the world a better place. So work with others and do your part in a field that meets this belief, holds your fascination, and invokes your passion.
To read more profiles of women in the groundwater industry, click here.