Historical Chronology

From 1895 to today, the Idaho Department of Water Resources has gone through many changes.

March 9, 1895

The Idaho Legislature creates the Office of State Engineer. The following individuals served in the post of Idaho State Engineer:

Frederick J. Mills, Pocatello - 1895-1899
D. W. Ross, Boise - 1899-1903
Wayne Darlington, Mackay - 1903-1904
Jas. Stephenson, Jr., Boise - 1904-1908
D.G. Martin, Idaho Falls - 1908-1910
A.E. Robinson, Wallace - 1911-1912
Frank King, Boise - 1913-1914
J.H. Smith, Pocatello - 1915-1916
Fred A. Wilkie, Ashton - 1917-1918

1919

The agency name is changed to the Department of Reclamation. The agency head was known as the Commissioner of Reclamation. The following individuals served as Commissioner of Reclamation:

W.G. Swendsen, Boise - 1919-1925
George N. Carter, Jerome - 1925-1930
R. W. Faris, Boise - 1931-1938
James Spofford, Mountain Home - 1939-1940
E.V. Berg, Idaho Falls - 1941-1942

1943

The title of the agency's head is changed from Commissioner to the State Reclamation Engineer. The following individuals served as State Reclamation Engineer:

James Spofford, Mountain Home - 1943-1944
Mark R. Kulp, Moscow - 1944-1958
George N. Carter, Boise - 1958-1963
Carl Tappan, Boise - 1963-1966
R. Keith Higginson, Boise - 1967-1970

1965

Following voter approval of a constitutional amendment in 1964, the Idaho Water Resource Board was established by the Legislature to do state water planning. The Water Resource Board becomes an eight-member body whose members are appointed by the governor.

A new logo was developed for the Idaho Water Resource Board. It remains their logo today.

1970

The agency and its head goes through another change of name. This time, the agency becomes the Department of Water Administration and its head is called the Director.  Only one individual served as Department director during this period.  He was:

R. Keith Higginson, Boise - 1971-1974

1974

The Department of Water Administration and the Idaho Water Resource Board are combined to form a new agency called the Idaho Department of Water Resources. The following individuals have served as IDWR Director:

R. Keith Higginson, Boise - 1974-1977
C. Stephen Allred, Boise - 1977-1981
A. Kenneth Dunn, Boise - 1981-1987
R. Keith Higginson, Boise - 1987-1995
Karl J. Dreher, Denver - 1995-2006

David R. Tuthill, Jr., Boise - 2007-present

1981-2007

The Idaho Office of Energy is merged into the Department of Water Resources as an operational division titled the Division of Energy.

1988

A new logo was developed for the Department of Water Resources. It remains the agency logo today.

2007

The Division of Energy is moved from the Idaho Department of Water Resources and executive orders No. 2007-11 & No. 2007-15 establish the Idaho Office of Energy Resources within the Office of the Governor.