William H. “Bill” Espey Jr., whose key role as a founder of ASCE’s Environmental and Water Resources Institute was among many contributions to water resources engineering across a 58-year career, has died. He was 86 and had done consulting work as recently as two years ago.
Beyond helping to launch EWRI, Espey, Ph.D., BC.WRE(Ret.), Dist.M.ASCE, was a founding member of the American Academy of Water Resource Engineers. The researcher, consultant, and educator was elected an ASCE distinguished member in 2014.
An early injury cut short his football dreams, but Espey had been a walk-on long shot at the University of Texas. He went on to earn bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees at UT in civil engineering in 1960-65 under lifelong mentor Ernest F. Gloyna.
After starting with the U.S. Geological Survey and Tracor, he co-founded Espey Huston & Associates in 1972 with long-time friend and partner, Bob Huston. EH&A grew to a comprehensive engineering firm employing more than 1,000 people in offices nationally and internationally. In 1980 Espey was named chairperson of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers First Technical Committee Review of Diversion Flow of Lake Michigan and held the position for 40 years.
In 1995, he founded Espey Consultants Inc. with three employees, growing EC to become one of the nation’s premier surface-water-focused civil engineering firms. He sold the company in 2011 and fulfilled his obligations under the sale in 2017. Instead of retiring, he started a new job at 80 as a project consultant with LJA Engineering before retiring in 2022.
The Urban Unit Hydrograph methodology he developed can be found in both state and city drainage design manuals and several textbooks, including the Civil Engineering Reference Manual for the P.E. exam.
Espey served on many boards, committees, and workgroups. In 2009, he was named Engineer of the Year by the Texas Society of Professional Engineers. Despite awards and accomplishments, what Espey said he treasured most were his relationships with co-workers, clients, and two developing generations of young engineers. Married for 63 years to Helen Joan “JoAnn” Barnes, her support was the bedrock of his life and gave him a family he cherished.
