Protecting a Legacy, One Drop at a Time: A TTAP Intern's Journey at Mesa Verde National Park

Ruby explores the ancestral cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park, gaining firsthand insight into the intersection of natural and cultural resource management.

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From the intricate plumbing of an ancient cliff dwelling to the modern-day water treatment systems that serve millions of park visitors, Ruby Carman-Frank's work as a Traditional Trades Advancement Program (TTAP) participant is a powerful reminder that preservation is as much about protecting vital resources as it is about safeguarding historic structures. As an intern at Mesa Verde National Park, Ruby worked on the front lines of water and wastewater management, ensuring visitors and staff have safe, reliable access to this essential utility. Her journey is a testament to how the skills of today—from environmental science to chemical testing—connect directly with the enduring needs of our nation's most treasured places.

Do you have a favorite process, technique, or skill in your job?

The whole system in general. I come from a science background, so I think it’s really interesting to know our water at the park is coming from a river way up in the mountains, and understanding what it goes through in our treatment plant, and the process that it goes through to go out in the park and then recirculate. I get to do all these tests, like testing to see if the alkalinity is high, and knowing that means I add soda ash to bring the alkalinity down. Knowing how I can change things and seeing that immediate impact is really exciting to me. I’ve really enjoyed working in a field where I can see this is where the water started, this is where it’s ending, and how I changed it throughout the process.

Can you tell me about a moment that made you realize the importance of your work?

We had an issue with our pump up at the Cliff Palace area, which is one of our busiest areas, and we were getting calls from everyone in the park, telling us "we need the water, we need it now.” The pump was down for maybe an hour and a half, we went and fixed it right away, but just seeing how much it affects the whole park and realizing if something happens to one part of our system and you don’t have water, the park really can’t run. I do certain tasks every day, like I go and check everything and make sure it’s running and most of it is precautionary. But being able to see that actually, the whole park is waiting for me to get this done and depending on my team to keep the system running smoothly was really cool.

As part of a water/wastewater internship at Mesa Verde National Park, Ruby conducts a field check on a fire hydrant.

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Was there a moment so far in your internship that you have felt really connected to the history of this place?

I got backcountry access, so that was really great to get because that allows me to visit all of the cliff dwellings and all of the historical sites. I think also just being able to live here - yes, I work here in water, but I’m also here for everything else in the park. It’s not just my workplace, but also my home for the season.

Finish the sentence, “This program has given me the chance to.....”

Expand on my education. I studied environmental science and watershed science, and there are so many different directions I could go with that. This opportunity is really good to see how my education can apply. Even though this job is more about chemical testing and a water treatment system, there’s a lot of stuff that I learned about lakes and rivers that I can still apply to understand the chemical system that keeps the water safe.

Has anything surprised you about yourself during this experience?

I’ve worked as a lifeguard and in construction, jobs where you work with a crew and you’re constantly guided. In this experience it’s a lot of “you learn it and you’re out there.”. I go out there and run the systems based on my training. I’m the type of person where I want to make sure I know everything and have a ton of training, so it was really empowering to be in a situation where I’ve been trained and shown what to do and now I'm out there and I'm doing it out in the field. Just having that confidence in myself to say ‘this is what I'm doing today, and I know what to do.’

Inspired by Ruby's journey? HPTC's TTAP program provides hands-on experience, professional mentorship, and a chance to make a real difference in our national parks. Learn more and apply today to start your own adeventure.