Eric Reichard
Dr. Eric Reichard is the Regional Director for the Southwest Region (DOI Regions 8 and 10) at the United States Geological Survey (USGS). He provides leadership for USGS activities across Arizona, California, and Nevada.
The Southwest Region includes ten science centers conducting work for all five USGS mission areas, about 1300 employees, and an overall annual budget of around $280 million. The Region brings multidisciplinary USGS science to address cross-cutting challenges across the southwest, including California’s Bay Delta and the Colorado River.
From 2009 to 2022, Dr. Reichard served as the Director of the California Water Science Center (CAWSC). The CAWSC, the USGS’s largest water science center, partners with state, local and federal agencies to provide impartial hydrologic data and scientific analyses to help address California’s water issues. Prior to becoming Center Director, he worked as a Research Hydrologist and Program Chief at the CASWC, leading projects addressing a variety of hydrologic issues, including groundwater-surface water management and saltwater intrusion.
Dr. Reichard received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Rochester, and a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Hydrogeology from Stanford University. Dr. Reichard also served as a research fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health.
