William E. Rinne
Deputy Commissioner

On June 19, 2003, William E. Rinne was named the Deputy Commissioner, Director of Operations for the Bureau of Reclamation, an agency in the Department of the Interior. Rinne has primary responsibility for operational issues facing Reclamation throughout the 17 western states. A Senior Executive Service member, he works with Commissioner John Keys to ensure Reclamation's effectiveness at operating all of its projects consistent with federal and state laws, interstate compacts and international treaties, while also meeting the Administration's objectives and priorities. Reclamation is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and the fifth largest electric utility in the 17 Western States.

Rinne, who has more than 26 years of federal service in Reclamation exclusively, moved to his current position in September, 2002. Previously, he served as Deputy Regional Director of Reclamation's Lower Colorado Region in Boulder City, Nevada, where he was actively involved in the agency's Lower Colorado River programs. He also has served as an area manager, regional liaison in the Commissioner's office, regional environmental officer, regional fisheries biologist, and project biologist.

In these capacities, Rinne was actively involved in managing environmental and operations programs for the agency's Lower Colorado River area in Arizona, California, Nevada and Mexico. On behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, he was responsible for the overall management of the water delivery, river operations, water accounting, water conservation, and water and power contracting programs associated with implementing the Secretary of the Interior's water master functions on the lower Colorado River. This included providing states, Indian tribes and local water resources organizations assistance with the planning and development of programs and projects to help them meet their water needs. In 1996, Rinne was awarded the Department of the Interior's Meritorious Service Award.

An avid outdoorsman, Rinne particularly enjoys fishing and gardening. He is originally from Burchard, Nebraska. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Biology from Peru State College in Peru, Nebraska, and a Master's Degree in Zoology from the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, Nevada. He and his wife Jan have two children and six grandchildren.

Click on photo for High Resolution downloadable photo.