News Release Archive

Jeff Laird Appointed as Resource Manager for Reclamation's New Melones Lake Recreation Resources Branch

Media Contact: Pete Lucero, 916-978-5100, 03/05/2010 21:12

For Release: March 05, 2010

Mr. Mike Finnegan, Area Manager of the Bureau of Reclamation's Central California Area Office, has announced the appointment of Mr. Jeff Laird as the Resource Manager for New Melones Lake. In his new position, Mr. Laird will assist the Area Manager in overseeing Reclamation's management of recreation, natural and cultural resources, and visitor services at New Melones Lake, located in Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties, California.

Mr. Laird will also contribute to the effective management of one of Reclamation's best-known projects, California's Central Valley Project (CVP). The CVP provides urban water for more than 3 million people, irrigation water to more than 3 million acres, industrial water for key economic areas of California such as the Silicon Valley, and environmental water for wildlife needs and fishery restoration, and generates some 5.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually. Located within the Stanislaus River watershed, New Melones Lake is part of the Eastside Division of the CVP.

"Jeff has a broad background in recreation and resource management. He has many years of experience working at New Melones Lake where he assisted the manager in providing high-quality visitor services." said Mr. Finnegan. "Jeff's proven ability to work effectively with the public and local community groups will be invaluable in his new position as Resource Manager of the lake."

Since January 2004, Mr. Laird served as the Supervisory Park Ranger and Concessions Specialist at New Melones Lake, directing the recreation management program and administering the marina concessions contract. From September 2002 to January 2004, Mr. Laird served as the lake's Natural Resource Specialist. A Federal employee for 22 years, Mr. Laird previously worked as a park ranger for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Northern California and in Alabama. Mr. Laird, a U.S. Army veteran, earned a bachelor of science degree in Park Resource Management from Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, in 1991.

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