DWR Management

Paul GravesPaul Graves, P.E.
Assistant Chief Engineer

Paul Graves has served as assistant chief engineer in the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Water Resources since 2006.  He is responsible for supervising managers of the three water programs, which combined make up about 100 positions in six offices throughout the state.  He helps the chief engineer by managing program activities to accomplish agency objectives.  This includes coordinating with other agencies, managing the division’s budget, developing policy, communicating with constituent groups and the public, and other duties.  The division administers water rights, represents the state in interstate river compacts and coordinates the National Flood Insurance Program in Kansas; regulates dams, levees and other water structures; and works closely with stakeholders and other agencies to manage and conserve water resources.  Prior to joining the Division of Water Resources, Graves worked for 15 years as an engineering consultant in several states and at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.  He is a licensed professional engineer.  He has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Massachusetts and a master’s degree in environmental engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.  He is originally from Massachusetts and has lived in Kansas since 1998.

Chris BeightelChristopher W. Beightel, P.E.
Program Manager, Water Management Services

Chris Beightel joined the Division of Water Resources in December 2008 as manager of Water Management Services.  The program is responsible for a variety of administrative and technical activities related to water resource issues.  It is made up of several functional units, including administration, interstate water issues, technical services, basin management and data management.  Before working for the Division of Water Resources, Beightel worked for 13 years in various positions, most recently as engineer of tests for the Kansas Department of Transportation.  He is a licensed professional engineer.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Kansas State University.  He earned certified public manager certification from the University of Kansas Public Management Center.  He is from Lawrence.

Lane LetourneauLane P. Letourneau, L.G.
Program Manager, Water Appropriation

Lane Letourneau joined the Division of Water Resources in 1987.  He held several positions in the Water Appropriation program before becoming program manager in 2006.  The Water Appropriation program administers and enforces Kansas statutes related to the beneficial use of water and managing water resources. The program is made up of several functional units, including administration, new applications, change applications, certificates, water use, and compliance and enforcement.  The program has field offices in Garden City, Stafford, Stockton and Topeka, as well as a satellite to the Topeka office in Parsons.  Before coming to work for the Division of Water Resources, Letourneau worked as an open-hole engineer in the oil field.  He is a licensed geologist.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in geology from Fort Hays State University.  He is from Salina.


Matt SchererMatt A. Scherer, III, P.E.
Program Manager, Water Structures

Matt Scherer has managed the Water Structures program since 2001.  The Water Structures program is responsible for dam safety, approving stream obstruction and floodplain fill projects, for coordinating the National Flood Insurance Program in Kansas, and a variety of other duties.  The program is made up of several functional units, including administration, dam safety, stream obstructions and channel changes, and floodplain management.  From 1984 to 1988, and again from 1991 to 1998, Scherer worked in several positions within the Division of Water Resources.  He has worked in Technical Services, as manager of the Subbasin Water Resources Management Program, and as manager of the Water Management Services program.  He also has worked for the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, the Kansas Water Office and as an engineering consultant.  He is a licensed professional engineer. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in water resources engineering from Kansas State University.  He is from Salina.