Local News in Brief : Countywide : Civil Engineers Honor Ex-Head of Public Works

The Orange County Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers has named Carl Nelson, the former head of Orange County’s Public Works Department, as Engineer of the Year.

David Prasifka, president of ASCE/Orange County, said the honor recognizes Nelson’s long and distinguished engineering career of more than 30 years.

Nelson, now vice president of public works for the Keith Cos., spent 28 years with the county of Orange, most recently as director of the Environmental Management Agency’s public works division, where he supervised many major projects, including the $7.5-million extension of the Santa Margarita Parkway.

In addition, Nelson was instrumental in pushing the massive Santa Ana River Flood Control project for the last 25 years, and worked to win passage of federal legislation to authorize more than $1.1 billion for the completion of the three-county project.

In addition to his ASCE membership, Nelson is a member of the City Engineers Assn. of Orange County, the County Engineers Assn. of California and now is president of the Southern California Chapter of the American Public Works Assn.

Nelson already has won numerous other awards, including being named nationally in 1988 as one of the top 10 public works leaders of the year by the American Public Works Assn. and receiving the National Assn. of Counties Achievement Award for his efforts toward both the Flash Flood Early Warning System and the Santa Ana River Public Information Program.