LAS VEGAS — An aquatic ecologist, Riley Rackliffe, recently lost his job at Lake Mead National Recreation Area due to a sweeping termination effort by the Trump Administration, often referred to as the ‘Valentine’s Day Massacre.’
Riley and his family had just moved to Nevada from Indiana, where he taught at Purdue University and earned his PhD. When he began his new role in March, his job involved monitoring water quality, including checking for bacteria, toxic algae, and harmful species. He felt excited and supported in his work.
On Valentine’s Day, everything changed. Riley received an unexpected email announcing his termination. It stated that he had not demonstrated the necessary qualifications for continued employment. He described the moment as bewildering. “I was sitting with my supervisor when we both got the email. It felt sudden and disorganized. They seemed to have fired people without a clear strategy.”
Riley was only a few weeks away from completing his probationary period, a milestone that could have secured his position. “This job was a dream for me since I was young,” he shared, expressing frustration about how the layoffs were handled. “They dismissed us without warning, leaving many projects unfinished.”
Before his termination, he had ordered several water quality sampling kits and secured a $20,000 grant to investigate high levels of fecal bacteria in the Arizona Hot Springs, a known issue in the area. “We were also working on grants for research related to brain-eating amoebas,” he added, pointing out the significance of this research after a recent death linked to the amoeba.
With his departure, Riley’s responsibilities may fall to his supervisor and a technician, but he doubts they will manage effectively. “We might end up knowing less about our water quality and dealing inadequately with invasive species,” he said. “The planning and progress we made now feel wasted.”
Feeling lost and frustrated, he has filed an appeal with the Merit Systems Protection Board, which looks into issues regarding federal employees. “There’s a lot of uncertainty about the future,” he said. As the sole provider for his family, he is now on the lookout for new job opportunities. Yet, if given the chance, he would return to his role at Lake Mead in a heartbeat. “If they called me tomorrow, I’d be back here.”
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Lake Mead,Federal workers,Termination,Aquatic ecologist,Trump Administration,Probationary period,Water quality,Invasive species
