Caitlyn Uhlenbrauck
McCall
Summary
Honest and direct communicator embracing constructive feedback to foster growth and collaboration. Motivated problem solver with a relentless work ethic, eager to explore opportunities in the conservation and preservation of natural resources. Personable and genuine, thriving in both team environments and independent settings to achieve shared goals. Self-motivated, thorough, and efficient, ready to leverage an educational background and recent fieldwork while continuously seeking to expand horizons through new experiences.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Hydrology Technician GS-07
United States Forest Service
09.2025 - Current
- Flow regime calls and tracking for timber sale units and RCA buffer zones.
- Recommended treatment in outer RCA units.
- BDA photo point/ monitoring.
- Rock fire REAF assignment.
- Developed rec assistance.
- Bighorn sheep surveys.
- Flows for BDAs.
- Air sampling.
- Soil surveys.
- Bridge construction on trail.
- Timber reveg road surveys.
- Road decom monitoring.
- Veg plot monitoring.
- Conducted a new large scale rehabilitation project on timber landing piles and large burning piles by scarcifying, spreading slash, and seeding areas that were impacted.
- Referenced the BRAT model to identify streams that could benefit from low-tech process-base restoration.
- Basic map building skills with ArcGIS Pro
Hydrology Technician GS-06
United States Forest Service
05.2024 - 09.2025
- Rehabilitated decommissioned roads by planting native species in high priority zones such as riparian conservation areas or areas that seem prone to erosion.
- Identified and marked locations where low-tech process-base restoration, such as Beaver Dam Analogues (BDA) and Post Assisted Log Structures (PALS) were to be implemented on project site through identifying problems and opportunities determining objectives, inventorying resources, and analyzing resources data.
- Measured stream flow velocities and calculated the stream flow discharge using a Hach FH950 Portable Velocity Flow Meter and Marsh-Mcbirney Portable Velocity Flow Meter to collect data prior to a dam removal.
- Measured stream flow velocities and calculated the stream flow discharge using a Hach FH950 Portable Velocity Flow Meter and Marsh-Mcbirney Portable Velocity Flow Meter to collect data before, during and after installation of BDAs and Post- Assisted Log Structures (PALS).
- Measured stream flow velocities and calculated the stream flow discharge using a Hach FH950 Portable Velocity Flow Meter and Marsh-Mcbirney Portable Velocity Flow Meter to monitor and make sure irrigation ditch is in compliance with permit requirements.
- Surveyed multiple old Forest Service roads to determine if they should be decommissioned. Survey included looking at native and invasive species, barriers on the road bed, erosion features, and rivers to determine if mass flooding or wildfire on landscape would contribute to erosion. Gave recommendations to hydrologists, engineers and timber sales for treatments including; total road recontour, partial or leave. Used field maps and survey 123.
- Surveyed prescribed burn areas to monitor effective ground cover, floor depth and burn severity, erosion attributable to fire, ignition or burning in RCA, tree mortality, and overall burn impressions.
- Attended Forest Soil Disturbance Monitoring Protocol (FSDMP) training.
- Deployed HOBO temperature data loggers to monitor stream temperatures throughout the summer.
- Installed BDAs and PALS in three different drainages to help with hydraulic, hydrologic and geomorphic processes in the stream. Project included: gathering deciduous and conifer branches with loppers to weave through BDAs, gathering large trees by using chainsaw and wooden handle timber carrier to for PALS, putting post in by using a hydraulic post pounder, and then getting in the water to construct the structures..
Hydrology Technician and Youth Conservation Corps Crew Lead GS-05
United States Forest Service
05.2023 - 11.2023
- Coordinated logistics with other departments within USFS to provide weekly projects for Youth Conservation Corps (YCC).
- Supervised and assisted YCC crew in projects.
- Wrote Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) and tailgate safety forms.
- Created, evaluated, and modified lesson plans for YCC crew.
- Decommissioned and restored eroding day use and camping site in backcountry by planting over 150 seedlings, felling hazard trees and placing them around site to discourage camper.
- Partnered with Ponderosa State Park to restore bank erosion at Northwest Passage Pond with a Finn Hydroseeder.
- Surveyed multiple old Forest Service roads to determine if they should be decommissioned. Survey included looking at native and invasive species, barriers on the road bed, erosion features, and rivers to determine if mass flooding or wildfire on landscape would contribute to erosion. Gave recommendations to hydrologists, engineers and timber sales for treatments including; total road recontour, partial or leave. Used field maps and survey 123.
- Collected E-coli samples in high mountain lakes to maintain baseline data in both recreational use and grazing zones.
- Conducted stream flow permanence surveys (FLOwPER) to validate GIS LiDAR by classifying field observations into stream types (perennial, intermittent, or ephemeral), identifying stream headwaters and documenting changes in stream to provide land managers with accurate data in partnership with USGS.
- Conducted stream shade surveys by measuring the stream shade coverage and solar input throughout the stream using a solar pathfinder to monitor changes in coverage before and after prescribed timber thinning and to identify areas where beaver dam analogs (BDA) would be beneficial.
- Sampled air pollution sensitive waters to evaluate nutrient limitation; documented temporal variability in water chemistry; evaluated spatial extent of acid-base status; determined sensitivity of resources to potential damage; and estimated the magnitude of impact on water quality to determine to what extent air pollution is currently affecting the water resources in a particular forest.
- Attended a restoration focused natives species seed mix class to learn what seed mixture and native plant species have highest survivability in different zones and habitats of the forest and what mixes are most effective in various restoration treatments.
- Resource Advisor on the Lookout Fire (OR) for 14 days. Daily tasks included going to morning briefing, communicating priority projects with division leader, tying in with task force leader and heavy equipment boss to communicate projects that will start for the day, or projects that are done and needs inspection. Used field maps to identify locations of repair and to track and update status of repairs. Advised resources on which tools or machines would work best to get to desired repair outcome.
- Measured cross sectional area of streams using laser level to conduct a graph of the streambed to understand the spatial changes in the streams cross section pre and post implementation of new bridge construction.
- Measured stream flow velocities and calculated the stream flow discharge using a Hach FH950 Portable Velocity Flow Meter and Marsh-Mcbirney Portable Velocity Flow Meter to quantify aquatic organism passage and identify baseline discharge values throughout the water year.
- Attended logging sale and operations to better understand how a timber sale operates, best logging practices, and form relationships with logging contractors.
- Conducted reforestation production surveys and supervised reforestation quality control by measuring survivability rate of previously planted trees in recently burned areas to quantify reforestation success and to communicate with contractors the expectations of current reforestation planting operations with contractors in coordination with local silviculturists.
- Performed studies of habitat conditions for future consideration in forestry activities.
Fisheries Technician GS-05
United States Forest Service
06.2021 - 10.2021
- Worked directly with fisheries biologists surveying in ESA species habitat including Bull trout, Chinook salmon, and Westslope cutthroat collecting biological and environmental data on species diversity and abundance and stream bank health, for the Forest Management Plan.
- Deployed and retrieved HOBO temperature data loggers to monitor stream temperatures throughout the summer.
- Conducted PIBO habitat surveys to evaluate scour line, TR length, disturbance, water visibility, quantified habitat units, measured channel cross sections, bankfull widths and pebbles, counted large woody debris, measured stream banks angle, stability and flood prone width so advisors could properly determine if it is good habitat for ESA species and could log there.
- Surveyed and evaluated fine sediments within chinook salmon spawning areas, which are generally low gradient meandering C-type channel segments. via CORE sampling. This includes using a grid system to take multiple samples, which are then washed through nine sieves, separating particles into 10 size fractions. Separated samples are then measured using a water volume displacement method. Used Imhoff cone to take suspended solids samples.
- Surveyed and recorded data for free matrix by using 30 semi-randomly placed steel hoops per each stream reach. Count totally unembedded cobbles and then count embedded cobbles.
- Surveyed and recorded data for cobble embeddedness, using steel hoop, Measure the greatest diameter of all free rocks, and then measure the embedded rocks. Measure and record the depth that the rock is embedded and the rock diameter perpendicular to the place of the embeddedness. 100 cobble embeddedness measurements are taken.
- Surveyed and recorded data for surface fines using a steel hoop. A 60 cm ruler is placed across the hoop perpendicular to the flow. The number of hash marks that intersect with sand or silt at one edge of the ruler are counted.
- Surveyed 30 miles of Rapid River, conducting ford surveys to see if bridges should be installed in bull trout country.
- Surveyed streams via Edna, snorkeling and angling for 2060 climate refugia for cutthroat to determine if models that show good habitat for cutthroat are accessible for fish to get to.
- Surveyed streams to identify fish abundance and age via electro shocking.
- Measured flow discharge above and below water diversions to make sure landowners were within their restrictions.
- Assisted in irrigation projects including installation of irrigation lines in managed habitat areas.
- Collected data on ArcGIS, surveying for freshwater mussels in the south fork of the salmon river with other agencies.
- Communicated with other entities and shared data from mussel, eDNA, and snorkel surveys.
Fisheries and Access Technician
Idaho Department of Fish & Game
06.2020 - 11.2020
- Suppressed Lake trout with gill nets in Payette Lake to increase Kokanee recruitment as well as improve Lake trout fishery.
- Surveyed lowland and high mountain lakes using gill nets, and trap nets to estimate size structure, abundance, and species composition for evaluations of management actions.
- Evaluated abundance and size structures of resident fish in McCall area streams using multi-pass depletion sampling techniques with backpack electrofishing equipment.
- Participated in yearly Chinook spawning ground surveys assessing redd abundances as well as sampled otoliths and fin ray samples off carcasses for aging assessments.
- Surveyed Cascade Lake using trawl nets to assess survivability and structure of young of year juvenile Yellow Perch through the summer and fall.
- Sampled genetics and scales as well as tagged juvenile anadromous salmonid emigrants to monitor the status and dynamics of threatened populations of Chinook salmon and steelhead.
- Recorded data along with checked and queried data from sampled fish using PTAGIS P4 and Excel.
- Communicated independently with multiple parties to facilitate improvements to Idaho Fish and Game sites to enhance public land use.
- Helped come up with a three year plan to remove invasive species at Horsethief Reservoir in cooperation with Valley County Weed Control and ordered native plants to implement when appropriate in conjunction with removal of invasive species removal.
- Coordinated between IDFG management and construction crews to communicate schematics and expectations to improve existing, primitive campgrounds at Horsethief Reservoir.
- Organized and coordinated with local artists to paint murals in CXT facilities at Little Payette Lake and Horsethief Reservoir.
Resident Education Assistant
Swan Valley Connections
08.2019 - 11.2019
- Acted as the liaison between students and professors to help ensure that daily concepts, ideas, and goals were reached.
- Facilitated daily check-ins with students to ensure healthy and safe group dynamics.
- Coordinated the logistics of daily student life including schedule planning, food budgets, and the distribution of appropriate gear and academic supplies.
Fisheries Technician
Idaho Department of Fish & Game
08.2018 - 11.2018
- Maintained the adult Chinook salmon weir on the South Fork Salmon River, in addition to carrying out biological measurements, logging statistical records, and performing daily duties.
- Assisted in yearly spawning activities including extracting and fertilizing eggs.
- Collected biological samples including fish kidneys for disease diagnosis and fin rays for ocean age determination.
- Aided managers in hatchery duties including the rearing of eggs and juvenile salmon, as well as the stocking of trout species in regional high mountain lakes and streams.
Fisheries Biological Aide
Idaho Department of Fish & Game
05.2018 - 08.2018
- Determined fish populations through snorkel surveys in Lower Salmon River tributaries.
- Evaluated riparian health by measuring stream depth, sediment, and vegetation overhang.
- Conducted creel surveys during summer Chinook fishing season on South Fork Salmon River.
- Facilitated statewide installation of game cameras to monitor Idaho wolf populations.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Studies
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Oshkosh, WI05.2018
Skills
- Meticulous attention to detail
- Effective in team and solo settings
- Maintains composure in high-stress situations
- Proficient in task prioritization
Certification
- Red Card. Basic Fire School, Payette NF Fire and Aviation Management, 2023, 2024, 2025
- Burned Area Emergency Response Training (BAER), Payette NF, 2023, 2024
- Resource Advisor Training (READ), Payette NF, 2023, 2024, 2025
- Developing Thinking Sawyers, Payette NF, 2023
- US Government Motor Vehicle Operations, 2023, 2024, 2025
- Defensive and Distracted Driving, US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, 2023, 2024, 2025
- Heartsaver First Aid and CPR, American Heart Association, 2018, 2019, 2023
- Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Certification, Idaho State Parks and Recreation, 2021, 2023
- River Rescue and Wilderness First Aid Workshop, Wilderness Rescue International, 2018, 2019
Timeline
Hydrology Technician GS-07
United States Forest Service
09.2025 - Current
Hydrology Technician GS-06
United States Forest Service
05.2024 - 09.2025
Hydrology Technician and Youth Conservation Corps Crew Lead GS-05
United States Forest Service
05.2023 - 11.2023
Fisheries Technician GS-05
United States Forest Service
06.2021 - 10.2021
Fisheries and Access Technician
Idaho Department of Fish & Game
06.2020 - 11.2020
Resident Education Assistant
Swan Valley Connections
08.2019 - 11.2019
Fisheries Technician
Idaho Department of Fish & Game
08.2018 - 11.2018
Fisheries Biological Aide
Idaho Department of Fish & Game
05.2018 - 08.2018
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Studies
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh