Clair A and Joan T Hill Engineering

Clair A Hill started his private engineering business in Redding in 1937, also serving as Deputy County Engineer. World War II interrupted his business, as he was required to return to active service in 1940 since he had previously held an ROTC position during his time at Oregon State University.

In 1945 he returned to Redding and opened his engineering office Clair A. Hill, then Clair A. Hill and Associates, then in 1971 became CH2M Hill, then subsequently Jacobs Engineering.

Clair always had an interest in helping engineering students avail themselves of higher education and had hired many young engineering graduates to gain professional experience and become excellent engineers and managers.

His success in hiring the best most qualified engineering students provided the interest and opportunity to additionally help local graduating students from Shasta College advance to a four year degree in engineering from the schools of their choice.

He viewed the engineering profession as providing one of the most interesting opportunities to help plan and develop the infrastructure required to serve the growing needs of the nation.

Whiskeytown Dam Reservoir was not originally considered as an integral part of the the Trinity River Project to divert Trinity River to the Sacramento. As a result of recognition of this efforts to change the concept of the original plan that would have simply diverted the Trinity River water via a canal around Clear Creek, he was rewarded with the Congressional award to name Whiskeytown dam in his name.

His legacy in the development and efficient uses of water in California led to his many years of leadership and service as chairmanship of a long list of the agencies and entities responsible for planning, development and management of California water resources.