James "Jim" Meiman

Jim Meiman was born in 1933, in Louisville, Kentucky, to Thelma and Alphonse Meiman. After growing up in Louisville, he attended the University of Kentucky, where he earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Agronomy and Soil Conservation. He then attended Colorado State University (CSU) and in 1962 received a Ph.D. in Watershed Management, with a focus on snow hydrology.
In the fall of 1965 while teaching at CSU, Jim met Louise, his love and life companion. She had come to campus as a Teaching Assistant to pursue a Master's degree in math. They married in August of 1966. Shortly before getting married, Jim bought 24 acres near Wellington, Colorado, fulfilling a dream to own a piece of land and embarking on a dream to tend to it.
The early years of Jim and Louise's new life together were busy. In addition to being a college professor, land-owner and farmer, he became a father of three children! In 1975 the young family moved into the house they had built on the farm, and rural life began. Jim worked hard on Windy Ridge Farm raising various crops, including blue spruce trees, along with a few animals over the years. The farm work always provided him a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, and oftentimes, he even enjoyed it! He also loved spending time in the mountains, whether for work or recreation, appreciating their beauty in every season. He was always happiest in the high country, above tree line.
His family was a great source of pride, though he was not a proud man. He is survived by his wife Louise, and his children Lisa, Andrew and Paul and their families. His six grandchildren and his great-grandson gave him great joy.
Professional Life
In Kentucky, Jim worked for the U.S. Soil Conservation Service on the Small Watershed Pilot Projects Program from 1954 until 1959, when he moved to Fort Collins, Colorado to attend CSU. He was the second graduate student in CSU's new Watershed program, and then joined the Watershed Science Faculty at CSU after earning his degree. He spent fourteen years in the department, where he developed CSU's snow hydrology program and expanded CSU's Little South Poudre Watershed research programs.
In 1975, Jim became the Dean of the Graduate School and Director of International Programs at CSU, focusing heavily on expanding CSU's international involvement. As a result, he was hired as CSU's Associate Vice President for Research and Director of International Programs in 1981. Under his direction, CSU became a leading university in overseas technical research and assistance under USAID Title XII. Jim retired from CSU in December 1991.
As a professor and administrator at CSU, Jim researched snow hydrology with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) at Fraser Experimental Forest. Beginning in the mid-1980s, Jim and Dr. Charles Lovelace, Director of the USDA Rocky Mountain Station, developed the concept and led in the early planning of the Natural Resources Research Center in Fort Collins.
Jim continued to consult internationally after retiring from CSU. From 1992 to 1993 he served as Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director for the Consortium for International Development (CID). He was external training director for the World Bank Eastern Anatolia Watershed Project (1994 to 1998). From 1998 to 2000, Jim developed the Middle East Watershed Monitoring Project for the USFS, and led the USFS International Seminar in Forestry and Natural Resources from 1996 to 2001.
Jim's professional associations, activities and publications are numerous. Many of his papers are available in the CSU Digital Archives.
Donations requested in lieu of flowers:
• Trees, Water & People
• Doctors Without Borders
• Bread for the World
For live streaming of the Memorial please go to: https://www.firstchurchfc.org/