Ronald B. Robie was staff consultant to Assemblyman Carley V. Porter, chair of the water committee and a member of the Water Resources Control Board in its early and formative period. Robie attended the McGeorge School of law at night until he received his law degree in 1967 and was appointed by Governor Ronald Reagan to the Water Resources Control Board in 1969. During this time the board passed down and approved major and controversial decisions that affected the San Francisco Bay Delta, the New Melones Dam and the American River. Robie became the director of the Department of Water Resources in 1975 after Governor Jerry Brown's election and worked on setting policy, securing an independent power source for the State Water Project, irrigation, drainage, groundwater recharge, financing the department, and an eleven day strike of operation and maintenance employees. In this interview Robie discusses background on water issues leading up to his appointment as director, staffing and setting policy, coping with drought, litigation with the Sierra Club, coordinated water agreement, Peripheral Canal legislation and election campaign, water conservation, working under Governor Brown, and career after the Department of Water Resources. This interview is part of a group of interviews documenting California water resources development.