Gary Lippner

Gary Lippner was appointed Flood Management and Dam Safety Deputy Director on September 16, 2019.

Gary advises and assists in the formulation and implementation of policies and programs within the Division of Flood Management (DFM) and Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD). Gary is a key advisor to the Director and other Executive staff on major policy, program and operational issues affecting DFM and DSOD, as well as the entire Department.

Gary joined the Department in 2009, after working in the private sector and in academia for more than 12 years. In 2016, Gary served as the Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) Drought Emergency Response Team Director. He was instrumental in assessing risks, identifying areas impacted by drought, facilitating water transfers and infrastructure improvements, and taking actions related to protecting Delta water quality. In February 2017, Gary was appointed as the Chief of the North Central Region Office where he was responsible for various programs, including the Truckee River Operating Agreement and the State’s administration of the Davis-Grunsky Grant, Recreation Planning and Implementation Program.

Most recently, in February 2018, Gary was appointed as the Deputy Director, Delta Conveyance where he has overseen all aspects of the California WaterFix project and managed DWR’s efforts to implement a solution to provide reliable water to California’s businesses, farms, and residents while also providing ecosystem benefits.

Gary earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from California State University, Chico. He also earned a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from California State University, Sacramento. Gary is a licensed Professional Engineer.