Bureau Names Stock California-Great Basin Regional Director by Bureau of Reclamation Dec 22, 2023 Water News WASHINGTON, D.C. – Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton is pleased to announce the selection of Karl Stock as the new regional director for the California-Great Basin Region. Stock will succeed Ernest Conant, who will assume the role of senior advisor to the deputy commissioner for operations. Stock will lead the management, development and protection of water and related resources in the region, including one of the nation’s largest and most complex water projects, the Central Valley Project. He will also oversee Oregon’s Klamath Project; Nevada’s Truckee Storage projects; and California’s Orland, Solano, Cachuma and Ventura River projects. “Karl’s extensive experience across Reclamation’s many programs and offices, and his collaborative approach will serve our partners well as Reclamation invests historic funding to improve water resources across the California Great Basin and the American West,” said Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “I am also extremely grateful for Ernest Conant’s extraordinary tenure as the regional director. His vision and executive leadership consistently advanced regional priorities and I wish him all the best in his new role.” Stock joined Reclamation in 2001 and has served in a variety of leadership positions, most recently as manager of the Reclamation Law Administration Division. In this capacity, he has been instrumental in developing proactive strategies for investing the historic funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act to address the unprecedented challenges facing the Western states. “I have known Karl for years. He has a depth of knowledge and breadth of experience with an array of complex and challenging water resource management issues, including those in the California-Great Basin Region. Karl has been a key leader in western water and power for more than two decades and his experience will be crucial as we continue to strengthen partnerships and develop innovative approaches to sustaining water resources,” said Deputy Commissioner David Palumbo. “Ernest Conant’s unwavering dedication, exceptional service, and professional excellence have played a vital role in shaping the American West. We are truly grateful, and I look forward to working with Ernest in his new and critical role,” Palumbo continued. Stock expressed his gratitude for this prestigious selection, stating, “I am honored to take on this responsibility and look forward to advancing Reclamation’s mission in the California-Great Basin Region by working collaboratively with all of our partners as we seek to improve water and power reliability for the millions that depend on Reclamation’s projects in the Region through sustainable operational strategies and smart investments.” Stock earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Brigham Young University and a Master of Science in Public Administration from the University of Colorado Denver.
