Rick Whetsel
Senior Watershed Manager
Rick Whetsel is a Senior Watershed Manager at SAWPA. He administers a variety of planning projects, including SAWPA’s Disadvantaged Community Involvement Program, the Water Energy Community Action Network turf removal program, and three stakeholder-driven Task Force efforts to implement Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for Lake Elsinore and Canyon Lake and the Middle Santa Ana River as well as a regional water quality monitoring Task Force.
Rick’s duties also include preparing and contributing to numerous watershed reports and plans, including the renowned Integrated Regional Water Management Plan and the One Water One Watershed Plan. He has been instrumental in the preparation of successful grant applications as well as lending his planning expertise toward the development of GIS-based Web applications.
Rick’s extensive water resources background includes nearly 35 years of experience in project management, hydrologic and water quality modeling encompassing watershed assessment and TMDL implementation, and the development of analytical laboratory methods. His multifaceted technical background includes his experience as an Environmental Scientist and Chemist. Rick earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry from California University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Science Degree in Resource Economics from West Virginia University.
