Yep Sworn In As Water Commission Chair

August 16, 2004

WASHINGTON, DC - Mr. Walter Yep was formally introduced as Chair of the California Water Commission today. The Commission assists the California Water Resources Department, advising the Director on a multitude of issues. The nine member panel is appointed by the Governor and subject to the confirmation of the California State Senate. Mr. Yep was appointed by former Governor Gray Davis.

Walter Yep is a Senior Advisor at Dawson & Associates, has over 30 years of experience in civil and military planning with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. His responsibilities for water resources planning covered large parts of a multi-state area in the Pacific Southwest, and he served for many years as the representative to the CALFED program. Mr. Yep worked with CALFED to develop create a strategic plan to improve ecological health and water management in the Bay-Delta System.

The California Water Code offers the following summary of the California Water Commission's key duties:

“The California Water Commission shall confer with, advise, and make recommendations to the director (department of water resources) with respect to any matters and subjects under his jurisdiction. All rules and regulations of the department, other than those relating exclusively to the internal administration and management of the department, shall be first presented by the director to the commission and shall become effective only upon approval thereof by the commission.

The California Water Commission shall have the power to name all facilities of the State Water Resources Development System owned by the state.

Where the appropriations committees of the Congress are hearing requests for appropriations for flood control projects being planned or constructed in California under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, or reclamation projects being planned or constructed in California by the Bureau of Reclamation, United States Department of the Interior, the California Water Commission shall present its views.

In matters concerning the coordination of planning, construction, and operation of federal water development and flood control projects in the State of California with state and local projects, the California Water Commission shall advise the department, and the Governor, and to this end may confer with the appropriate executive agencies of the United States.”

Related Links

For additional information about Walter Yep, click here.

To learn more about the California Department of Water Resources, click here.

To contact the California Water Commission, click here.