Dr. Suzanne Dallman, Professor of Geography at CSULB elected President of the Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners

LONG BEACH, CA – On October 1, 2010, Dr. Suzanne Dallman will take over as the new President of the Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners.  Dr. Dallman, who replaces outgoing President Mr. Paul Blanco, was unanimously voted into the position during the September 16th regularly scheduled Board meeting held at the Brennan S. Thomas Water Administration Building.  Also elected at the meeting were Frank Clarke, Vice President, and Bill Townsend, Secretary.  President-Elect Dallman was initially appointed to the Board of Water Commissioners by Mayor Bob Foster in October 2008.

“As someone who lives and works in the City of Long Beach, I truly appreciate the opportunity to serve my fellow residents over the course of the next year as President of the Board of Water Commissioners,” said Dr. Dallman.

Dr. Dallman is an assistant professor of geography at California State University Long Beach.  She teaches courses in both the Geography and Environmental Science and Policy programs, where she specializes in water issues related to California.  Dr. Dallman’s research interests include environmental geography with a particular emphasis on water resource management and sustainability.  She has authored multiple publications on a variety of subjects including research on the impacts of storm water infiltration on the Vadose Zone and Groundwater.

Prior to her appointment to the Board in 2008, Dr. Dallman served as the Technical Director for the Los Angeles & San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council, a nonprofit organization devoted to stakeholder-driven solutions to resource issues. Among her many projects, she managed the Council’s long-term Water Augmentation Study investigating the practical potential to improve surface water quality and increase local groundwater supplies through infiltration of urban storm water runoff.

Dr. Dallman also serves on the Board of Directors for the non-profit California Watershed Network and on the steering committee for the Southern California Water Dialogue.  She earned her Ph.D. in geography from UCLA, and a Masters degree, also in geography,  from CSULB.  Her educational training focused on environmental policy and water resources.

Since 1931, the Water Department has been governed by a Board of five Water Commissioners, each appointed to a five-year term by the Mayor, subject to approval of the City Council. The overlapping terms of the Board members provide necessary continuity and bring to the Department the combined expertise of the Commissioner’s business and professional backgrounds. In addition to the five current Commissioners, 55 citizens of the City have served as members of the Board.

The City Charter entrusts the Board with significant responsibility and authority. The Board is charged with full jurisdiction over all water works necessary for the acquisition, treatment, sale, and distribution of water served to the City and is responsible for the collection and disposal of the City’s sanitary sewage. Among other duties, the Board has authority to acquire or sell real property, to construct and operate facilities, to purchase equipment and enter into contracts. The Board establishes the Water Department’s mission and goals, and adopts policies and strategies to meet these ends. The Board submits an annual budget to the City Council, fixes water and sewer rates, hires the General Manager and establishes compensation for all LBWD employees.

For more information on the Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners, visit http://www.lbwater.org/inside/board.php

The Long Beach Water Department is an urban southern California water supply agency and the standard in water conservation and environmental stewardship.

Contents courtesy of press release from Matthew R. Veeh, LB Water