Archives West Finding Aid
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Jerald E. Christiansen papers, 1927-1981
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Jerald E. Christiansen papers
- Dates
- 1927-1981 (inclusive)19271981
- Quantity
- 11 boxes, (5.5 linear feet)
- Collection Number
- UUS_COLL MSS 310
- Summary
- This eleven-box collection consists of Jerald E. Christiansen's professional papers spanning the period from 1927 to 1981, and it includes his correspondence, research papers, thesis, working files, and publications. The organization of this material is based on Christiansen's personal filing system.
- Repository
-
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Jerald Emmett Christiansen was born April 9, 1905 in Hyrum, Utah the son of Jeremiah Josiah and Emily Josephine Israelsen Christiansen. In 1923 Christiansen enrolled at Idaho State College, Pocatello (now Idaho State University) where he earned an AD in 1925. That fall he enrolled at the Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State University) and received a BS with Honors in engineering in 1927 and was valedictorian of his class. The following semester Christiansen pursued graduate studies at University of California, Berkeley from where he earned his MS in civil engineering in 1928. His thesis was entitled "A Study of the Regulation of Kings River by Storage." The following summer on July 17, 1929, Christiansen married Rebecca Henderson Nelson in the Logan LDS Temple and they later had two sons, Jerald N. and Henry N. Christiansen.
In the fall of 1928, Christiansen accepted a faculty position at University of California, Davis where he worked until 1941. During this period, Christiansen pioneered studies in the science of sprinkler irrigation. In 1935 Christiansen obtained a civil engineer's degree from University of California, Davis, and his final report was entitled "Distribution of Silt in Open Channels." In 1942 he accepted a USDA position at the Regional Salinity Laboratory at Riverside, California, where he worked for four years. In 1946 Christiansen returned to Utah State University to serve as dean of engineering and acted in this capacity until 1957. From 1957 until his retirement in 1975, Christiansen worked at Utah State University both teaching and conducting research. In 1975 Utah State University awarded Christiansen an honorary doctorate degree.
Over the course of Christiansen's career, he worked on irrigation and engineering projects in Europe, South America, and the Middle East. He was also actively involved with various scholarly organizations, in local and civic affairs, and with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was awarded the Royce J. Tipton Award in 1976 by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Christiansen died at his home in Logan, Utah on October 28, 1989.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This eleven-box collection consists of Jerald E. Christiansen's professional papers spanning the period from 1927 to 1981. This collection contains Christiansen's correspondence, research papers, thesis, working files, and publications. The organization of this material is based on Christiansen's personal filing system.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Jerald E. Christiansen papers must be obtained from the Special Collections and Archives manuscript curator and/or the Special Collections and Archvies department head.
Preferred Citation
Initial Citation: Jerald E. Christiansen papers USU_COLL MSS 310, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.
Following Citations: USU_COLL MSS 310, USUSCA.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Arranged according to Jerald E. Christiansen's personal filing system.
Processing Note
Processed in June of 2006.
Acquisition Information
The papers in this collection were donated to USU Special Collections and Archives in 1994 by Jerald Nelson Christiansen, the son of Jerald E. Christiansen.
Bibliography
Christiansen's obituary, The Herald Journal , October 30, 1989, page 4.Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Thesis and Research Papers, 1927-1950Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Thesis papers |
1927-1935 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 1 | Christiansen, "The Utilization of Logan River for Irrigation and Power," Utah Agricultural College, BS Honors Thesis |
1927 |
1 | 2 | Christiansen, "A Study of the Regulation of Kings River by Storage," U of California, Berkley, MS Thesis |
1928 |
1 | 3 | Christiansen, "A Study of the Distribution of Silt in Open Channels," U of California, Davis, Civil Engineer Degree Thesis |
1935 |
1 | 4 | MS thesis drawings |
1928 |
1 | 5 | Civil Engineer's Degree thesis research papers |
1935 |
1 | 6 | Research papers on heat transfer |
1930-1939 |
1 | 7 | Diesel engine notes |
1933 |
1 | 8 | Diesel engine notes |
1933 |
Research papers, reports, correspondence, and award certificates |
1933-1981 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 1 | Christiansen, "Modified Venturi Section for Open Channel; Vol. 1," Project 728 |
1937 |
2 | 2 | Christiansen, "Modified Venturi Section for Open Channel; Vol. 2," Project 728 |
1937 |
2 | 3 | Christiansen, Yallala, and Lowry, "Modified Venturi Section for Open Channel" |
1937 |
2 | 4 | Experiment station project 250, correspondence |
1941-1946 |
2 | 5 | Sevier River evaporation mats |
undated |
2 | 6 | Harry B. Walker eulogy |
undated |
2 | 7 | Christiansen, "Wire-Wrapped Concrete Pipe" |
1941 |
2 | 8 | Awards and certificates |
1931-1975 |
2 | 9 | USU Distinguished Alumnus Award plaque |
1981 |
2 | 10 | Christiansen, "Progress Report: Water Requirements for Waterfowl Areas Near the Great Salt Lake" |
1960 |
Research papers on the Howard Slough Refuge, Davis County, Utah |
1960-1962 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 1 | Water stage record charts for the Howard Slough Refuge |
1960 |
3 | 2 | Water stage record charts for the Howard Slough Refuge |
1961 |
3 | 3 | Water stage record charts for the Howard Slough Refuge |
1962 |
3 | 4 | Water stage record charts for the Howard Slough Refuge |
1962 |
Working files, 1960-1979Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Working files, A-C |
1960-1970 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
4 | 1 | AID program, LA, correspondence |
1970-1979 |
4 | 2 | AID/ICA |
1967 |
4 | 3 | American Society of Agricultural Engineers, correspondence |
1970-1979 |
4 | 4 | American Society of Agricultural Engineers, committee files, correspondence |
1970-1979 |
4 | 5 | American Society of Civil Engineers, correspondence and papers |
1970-1979 |
4 | 6 | Alfaro, Jose F. |
1970 |
4 | 7 | Argentina correspondence |
1965-1975 |
4 | 8 | Armstrong, Ellis |
1969-1972 |
4 | 9 | A – correspondence |
1970-1979 |
4 | 10 | B – correspondence |
1970-1979 |
4 | 11 | C – correspondence |
1970-1979 |
4 | 12 | Carias, Fabio |
undated |
4 | 13 | Chase, Daryl, correspondence |
1960-1969 |
4 | 14 | CIDIAT |
undated |
4 | 15 | Correspondence |
1969-1971 |
Working files, Christiansen's correspondence |
1972-1978 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
5 | 1 | Correspondence |
1972 |
5 | 2 | Correspondence |
1973 |
5 | 3 | Correspondence |
1974 |
5 | 4 | Correspondence |
1975 |
5 | 5 | Correspondence |
1976 |
5 | 6 | Correspondence |
1977-1978 |
Working files, C-F |
1960-1979 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
6 | 1 | Christiansen, Henry N. |
undated |
6 | 2 | CSW Pakistan, W.D. Kemper |
1973 |
6 | 3 | Costa Rica |
1973 |
6 | 4 | CIDIAT – drainage engineering |
undated |
6 | 5 | CIDIAT – Meridia, Venezuela |
undated |
6 | 6 | CIDIAT – short course, Maracay |
1968 |
6 | 7 | CIDIAT – national short course |
1967 |
6 | 8 | Civil engineering |
undated |
6 | 9 | College of Engineering, USU, memos |
1960-1969 |
6 | 10 | Cususwash project proposal |
1970 |
6 | 11 | D – correspondence |
1970-1979 |
6 | 12 | Development and Resources Corporation |
undated |
6 | 13 | Donnan, William W. |
1943 |
6 | 14 | Drainage, Ubate, and Chiquinquira, Columbia |
1965 |
6 | 15 | E – correspondence |
1970-1979 |
6 | 16 | El Salvador – Zapatitan Project report |
1971 |
6 | 17 | Engineering Experiment Station, USU |
undated |
6 | 18 | Enviro Engineers Inc., correspondence |
1970-1979 |
6 | 19 | F - correspondence |
1970-1979 |
6 | 20 | FAO – general correspondence |
1960-1969 |
Working files, F-W |
1960-1979 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
7 | 1 | The Ford Foundation, correspondence and papers |
1960-1969 |
7 | 2 | Fujioka, Yoshikaza |
1970 |
7 | 3 | Gibson, William; ECI, correspondence |
1967-1972 |
7 | 4 | Golberg, Dan, correspondence and papers |
1960-1969 |
7 | 5 | Guestbook, USU Alumni Association |
1973-1979 |
7 | 6 | Guatemala trip |
1972 |
7 | 7 | Hansen & Associates, correspondence |
1965 |
7 | 8 | Hansen, Jaughn E., correspondence |
1959-1966 |
7 | 9 | Hagan, Robert M., correspondence |
1959-1964 |
7 | 10 | Hargreaves, George H., correspondence and papers |
1970-1971 |
7 | 11 | Israel trip, correspondence and papers |
1970-1975 |
7 | 12 | Newspaper clippings concerning Christiansen and his work |
undated |
7 | 13 | Notebook with list of publications borrowed from Christiansen |
undated |
7 | 14 | Water supply outlook for Utah |
1963-1965 |
Nebraska Project Working Files, 1960-1979Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
8 | 1 | Irrigation study reports |
undated |
8 | 2 | Dounau, Bill |
1960-1969 |
8 | 3 | Water quality data |
undated |
8 | 4 | Nebraska maps |
undated |
8 | 5 | Maps of soil types |
undated |
8 | 6 | Working copy of unnamed report |
undated |
8 | 7 | State of Nebraska papers |
1970-1979 |
8 | 8 | Water quality – ASCE |
undated |
9 | 1 | Correspondence and papers |
1975 |
9 | 2 | USBR – Nebraska project |
1975 |
9 | 3 | Christiansen, final draft of "Pre-feasibility Study of an Irrigation Project in . . . Nebraska" |
1975 |
9 | 4 | Draft of "Pre-feasibility Study of an Irrigation Project in . . . Nebraska" |
undated |
9 | 5 | Draft of "Pre-feasibility Study of an Irrigation Project in . . . Nebraska" |
undated |
9 | 6 | Computer data, research data |
undated |
9 | 7 | Drainage bulletin essay, draft of |
undated |
9 | 8 | Draft of "Basic Principles of Drainage and Salinity" |
undated |
Publications and reports by Christiansen, 1930-1974Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
10 | 1 | Christiansen, "Distribution of Silt in Open Channels," Transactions of the American Geophysical Union, Sixteenth Annual Meeting |
1935 |
10 | 2 | Christiansen and Donnan, "Piezometers for Water Table Determination," Western Construction News, Vol. 1 # 11, 77-79
(two copies)
|
1944 November |
10 | 3 | Christiansen, "The Uniformity of Application of Water by Sprinkler Systems," Agricultural Engineering, Vol. 22 # 3, 89-92 |
1941 March |
10 | 4 | Christiansen, "The Development of the Left Bank Lower Moulouya Irrigation Project, Morocco" |
1965 |
10 | 5 | Christiansen, "Drainage and Salinity Problems in the Laguna de la Nava" |
1964 |
10 | 6 | Christiansen and Olsen, "Drainage and Salinity Problems in Irrigated Areas; How to Avoid or Minimize Them," USU |
1974 |
10 | 7 | Christiansen and Mehta, "Estimation of Pan Evaporation from Climatological Data," USU |
1965 |
10 | 8 | Christiansen, "Estimation of Pan Evaporation from Climatological Data," USU |
1966 |
10 | 9 | Christiansen, "Indications of Changing Relations Between Precipitation and Stream Flow with Time," USU |
1967 |
10 | 10 | Christiansen and Hargreaves, "Irrigation Requirements from Evaporation and Climate Data" |
1968 |
10 | 11 | Christiansen, "Manual on Salinity and Water Quality as Related to Drainage," USU |
1969 |
10 | 12 | Christiansen, Jurinak, and Grassi, " Observasiones y Recomendaciones con Respecto a los Problemas de Drenaje y Salinidad" |
1968 |
10 | 13 | Christiansen, "Precipitation and Runoff Trends: Upper Sevier River Basin, Utah," USU |
1964 |
10 | 14 | Christiansen and Patil, "A Rational Approach to the Estimation of Evaporation . . . from Climatological Data," USU
(two copies)
|
1961 |
10 | 15 | Christiansen, "Report on Water Resources Development in Iraq" |
1958 |
10 | 16 | Miscellaneous Papers (mimeograph) by Christiansen |
1930-1942 |
11 | Christiansen's graduate robes |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Sprinkler irrigation