[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 159 (Thursday, November 11, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2357]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        A TRIBUTE TO ROGER ROBB

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CALVIN M. DOOLEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 10, 1999

  Mr. DOOLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Mr. Roger Robb, who is retiring this month as Manager of the Lower Tule 
River and Pixley irrigation districts in Tulare County, in central 
California.
  Mr. Robb was born in Garden City, South Dakota, on October 5, 1937. 
He attended junior college in Porterville, expressing an early interest 
in serving as manager of an irrigation district. He received his 
bachelor's degree in civil engineering from California State 
University, Fresno, and his Master's degree in Geotechnical Engineering 
from U.C. Berkeley.
  Early in his career, Mr. Robb held various positions with the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture's Soil Conservation Service, serving in their 
Napa and Davis state offices. There he was active in a wide range of 
issues, including watershed management, drainage issues, small dams and 
irrigation efficiency studies.
  In 1976, Mr. Robb began work at the Lower Tule River Irrigation 
District and Pixley Irrigation District as a staff engineer. Only one 
year later, he ascended to his ``dream job'' of manager of the two 
districts. Mr. Robb took the position at a time when the Central Valley 
of California was facing one of its worst droughts in history, posing a 
challenge to the newly installed manager.
  Throughout his career, Mr. Robb has been active in a number of 
associations, including the Friant Water Users Authority, Mid-valley 
Water Authority, Association of California Water Agencies-Joint Powers 
Insurance Authority, and Central Valley Project Water Association.
  On the Tule River, Mr. Robb has overseen day-to-day operations for 
the Tule River Association, and helped lead the successful effort to 
establish a small hydroelectric power plant at Success Dam.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing 
Roger Robb for his contributions to his field and to the Central Valley 
community. We send our sincere congratulations and wish him well on the 
occasion of his retirement.

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