Charles Hamilton Lee was born February 1, 1883, in Oakland, California, and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1905.

He then began his career as a hydrographer for the U.S. Geological Survey but resigned in 1906 to become assistant engineer for the city of Los Angeles. From 1906-1911, he was involved in design and construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. During this period his report on the groundwater basin of the Independence region of the Owens Valley was published as U.S.G.S. Water Supply Paper 294.

From 1912-1917 he had his own practice as a civil and hydraulic engineer in Los Angeles, serving in 1912 as hydraulic engineer for the California State Conservation Commission. Work from this period is the earliest represented in this collection and deals primarily with water supply, both surface and groundwater, and irrigation.

World War I interrupted his career and from 1917-1919 Lee served in France as captain in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, concerned with military water supply and sanitation. Returning after the war, he was appointed President of the State Water Commission of California and subsequently Chief of the Division of Water Rights. In this capacity he had an active influence on water resource development in California.

In 1921 Lee again set up private practice, this time in San Francisco, doing a wide variety of work in all phases of water supply and structural foundation. A major client was the city of Los Angeles for whom he did work connected with the Owens Valley, in large part relating to pending litigation. In 1926 he also established the Pacific Hydrologic Laboratory, the first soils engineering Laboratory on the West Coast.

In addition to work performed for the city of Los Angeles, Lee was consulting engineer for several other California municipalities and numerous U.S. departments and agencies including the State of California; water, public utility, and irrigation districts; and private companies and individuals in California and elsewhere. He was consulting engineer for the fill project which built Treasure Island and from 1936-1939 he was chief of Water Supply and Sanitation for the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island.

Other soil engineering work included slide repairs, foundation engineering, tunnels, and earth dams. He was recipient of the 1939 Norman Medal awarded by the American Society of Civil Engineers for his research on materials for earth fill dams.

Charles H. Lee was the author of a number of papers during his career. He was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Water Works Association, American Sewage Works Association, Seismological Society of America, California Sewage Works Association, and the American Geophysical Union. He died at his home in Berkeley on May 4, 1967, at the age of 84.

Publications on Groundwater Hydrology

Below is a chronological outline of Charles H. Lee's professional activities and involvements.

1905-1966

Sixty years as civil engineer, specializing in hydraulics, sanitation, irrigation, municipal water supply, and surface and groundwater hydrology... including seepage into and from streams, precipitation, evaporation, transpiration, consumptive use, well fluctuation and yield, interpretation of groundwater contour maps, and safe yield of underground reservoirs.

1905-1906

Hydrographic engineer, U. S. Geological Survey; Stream gaging throughout California, including Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys, Southern California, Colorado River.

1906-1911

Assistant Engineer, City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Los Angeles Aqueduct, - 1 year on Aqueduct design; 1 year on precise leveling for con ol of aqueduct construction; 3 years in charge surface and underground water in investigations in Owens Valley. Prepared numerous reports, one of which was published by U.S. Geological Survey as Water Supply Paper 294. Also made study of irrigation diversions and practice in Owens Valley in connection with proposed storage regulation at Long Valley and on Big Pine Creek; later made surveys for hydroelectric development at Owens River Gorge and Big Pine Creek and transmission line to City of Los Angeles.

1912

Hydraulic Engineer, California State Conservation Commission - in charge groundwater investigations, including special study of replenishment of pumped well supplies by spreading torrential flood waters of Santa Ana River in San Bernardino Valley, Calif. (Report published by the State of California.)

1912-1917

Engaged in private practice as Civil and Hydraulic Engineer in Los Angeles, including irrigation, water supply, groundwater and geology in States of California, Nevada and New Mexico.

1917-1919

On special military duty in France as Captain, Corps of Engineers, U.S.A., with American Expeditionary Forces, General Headquarters, on military water supply and sanitation. Assigned to Water Intelligence duty, including general study of geology and hydrology of theatre of war, and control of all drilling equipment and to advise on water development at military bases. Assigned to duty as Water Intelligence Officer, Water Supply Service, 1st Army, during latter part of war.

1919-1921

Served as President, State Water Commission of California, and later, Chief of Division of Water Rights, State Department of Public Works. This was during a period of very active development of water resources in California and applications to appropriate water for storage and direct diversions throughout the State were acted upon.

1921-1966 (?)

Engaged in private practice as consulting engineer in San Francisco, including irrigation, water supply, land drainage, flood control, sewage works, water works, ground water investigations and utilization, and structural foundations. Practiced in California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, New Mexico, Idaho, Hawaii, Jamaica, Thailand. Clients: U.S. Governmental departments including Army, Navy, State, Justice, Public Health Service, Bureau of Reclamations, Veterans Bureau, Geological Survey; State of California, municipalities, counties, water, public utility and irrigation districts, public utilities, private companies and individuals.