Charles Franklin Lambert was a land engineer who contributed to the development of irrigation and land speculation in the Sacramento Valley in the first half of the 20th century. He grew up in Washington where his family attempted cattle ranching before switching to an irrigated fruit farm, which exposed him to water rights and irrigation practices early on. Lambert graduated from school at fifteen and began working immediately after as a stenographer at a lumber company. In 1907 Lambert began work with his father in the land development business in Willows, California. He was involved in the Orland Irrigation Project before becoming an income tax collector. Later he became involved with irrigation development in the Sacramento Valley which included cases such as Glenn-Colusa. In the 1920s, Lambert faced the Great Depression and the refinancing of irrigation districts. He was also part of litigation efforts involving public utility water companies, the formation of Sacramento-San Joaquin Drainage District and the Irrigation Districts association. In this interview, Lambert discusses ownership, assessment, distinctions among types of water districts, water rights and cases in California, the collapse of the rice boom, and negotiations with water companies.