Good Neighbor Law

Charles F. Leaf

Dr. Leaf's experience in his field began with work as a Hydraulic Engineer for the U.S Geological Survey and then as an Engineer for a consulting meteorologist. Between 1963 and 1973, he was a Research Hydrologist for the U.S Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station at Fort Collins, Colorado. In 1973-74, Dr. Leaf was a Project Leader at the Experiment Station where his work consisted of development of techniques for residual volume streamflow forecasting; evaluating effects of land uses on water and sediment yields; design, construction, and operation of runoff measurement systems; design and operation of hydrologic data acquisition networks; development and application of computerized hydrologic simulation models; water balance studies of drainage basins; snow avalanche dynamics and forecasting; and hydrologic impact studies of weather modification.

Dr. Leaf entered private practice in 1974, as a Consulting Hydrologist and Water Resource Engineer. Since that time, he has conducted studies of hydrologic impacts from mining and silvicultural activities in Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico. He has made scientific contributions to manuals prepared by the U.S. Forest Service and the Ski Industry on the hydrologic impacts of snowmaking and silvicultural activities, principally in the Western United States. Dr. Leaf has conducted hydrologic impact studies for Freeport Coal Company, Northern Coal Company, Westmoreland Coal Company, and Energy Fuels Nuclear. His hydrologic impact evaluation for Colorado Westmoreland's Orchard Valley Mine was utilized in one of the first mine plans approved under the Department of the Interior's Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Program.

Most recently, Dr. Leaf has conducted comprehensive studies of the hydrologic impacts of (1) the Endangered Species Recovery Program (Three States Agreement); (2) massive well shutdowns associated with groundwater augmentation; and (3) Front Range development in the Platte River Basin.

As a registered professional engineer, Dr. Leaf has accepted numerous assignments which have included: (1) drainage engineering for commercial, residential, and municipal land developments, (2) wastewater collection and treatment, (3) flood plain hydrology, and (4) well augmentation. He has authored or co-authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications during his career.

He has given expert witness testimony in several legal proceedings having to do with watershed management, water rights, fluvial geomorphology, and engineering hydrology. In 1997, Dr. Leaf formed the Platte River Hydrologic Research Center, which conducts independent research and offers contract research services in applied watershed management.

Dr. Leaf and his wife, JoAnn, also operate Valley View Angus, an irrigated farming and ranching enterprise which markets Black Angus breeding cattle in Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska.


	Upholding "First In Time First In Right" Water Rights
	Charles F. Leaf Dr. Leaf's experience in his field began with work as a Hydraulic Engineer for the U.S Geological Survey and then as an Engineer for a consulting meteorologist. Between 1963 and 1973, he was a Research Hydrologist for the U.S Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station at Fort Collins, Colorado. In 1973-74, Dr. Leaf was a Project Leader at the Experiment Station where his work consisted of development of techniques for residual volume streamflow forecasting; evaluating effects of land uses on water and sediment yields; design, construction, and operation of runoff measurement systems; design and operation of hydrologic data acquisition networks; development and application of computerized hydrologic simulation models; water balance studies of drainage basins; snow avalanche dynamics and forecasting; and hydrologic impact studies of weather modification. Dr. Leaf entered private practice in 1974, as a Consulting Hydrologist and Water Resource Engineer. Since that time, he has conducted studies of hydrologic impacts from mining and silvicultural activities in Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico. He has made scientific contributions to manuals prepared by the U.S. Forest Service and the Ski Industry on the hydrologic impacts of snowmaking and silvicultural activities, principally in the Western United States. Dr. Leaf has conducted hydrologic impact studies for Freeport Coal Company, Northern Coal Company, Westmoreland Coal Company, and Energy Fuels Nuclear. His hydrologic impact evaluation for Colorado Westmoreland's Orchard Valley Mine was utilized in one of the first mine plans approved under the Department of the Interior's Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Program. Most recently, Dr. Leaf has conducted comprehensive studies of the hydrologic impacts of (1) the Endangered Species Recovery Program (Three States Agreement); (2) massive well shutdowns associated with groundwater augmentation; and (3) Front Range development in the Platte River Basin. As a registered professional engineer, Dr. Leaf has accepted numerous assignments which have included: (1) drainage engineering for commercial, residential, and municipal land developments, (2) wastewater collection and treatment, (3) flood plain hydrology, and (4) well augmentation. He has authored or co-authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications during his career. He has given expert witness testimony in several legal proceedings having to do with watershed management, water rights, fluvial geomorphology, and engineering hydrology. In 1997, Dr. Leaf formed the Platte River Hydrologic Research Center, which conducts independent research and offers contract research services in applied watershed management. Dr. Leaf and his wife, JoAnn, also operate Valley View Angus, an irrigated farming and ranching enterprise which markets Black Angus breeding cattle in Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska.