Davis County Experimental Watershed records, 1923-1986

Overview of the Collection

Title
Davis County Experimental Watershed records
Dates
1923-1986 (inclusive)
Quantity
33 boxes, (16 linear feet)
Collection Number
UUS_COLL MSS 376
Summary
This collection contains the records of the Davis County Experimental Watershed restoration project, an effort to repair and rehabilitate the watersheds above Davis County from the 1930s to the late 1960s.
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

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Decades of sustained overgrazing in Utah mountain watersheds caused a series of devastating and deadly mud-rock floods along the Wasatch Front in the early 20th century. The most disastrous of these floods occurred in 1912 and 1923 in Davis County. These floods resulted in the deaths of several individuals and hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages to both public and private buildings, lands and infrastructure. In response to the natural disasters, Utah Governor Dern appointed a committee to examine the cause of the floods and organize a plant to prevent future flooding. At the recommendation of environmental advisors, the Forest Service and several Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) began work on Davis County flood prevention in 1933.

The joint CCC and Forest Service flood control program became known as the Davis County Experimental Watershed (DCEW). In 1934, the CCC began to dig contour trenches along the mountainsides to help prevent the denuded hillsides from eroding away during rainstorms and spring runoff. For the next thirty years, Forest Service employees of the Intermountain Research Station continued to restore the watershed and conduct experiments and surveys regarding vegetation, streamflow, and climate in the drainages. Their work eventually received international recognition due to its unprecedented scope and success.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Davis County Experimental Watershed records contain mostly scientific material from the Davis County Experimental Watershed (DCEW) retained by the United State Forest Service's Intermountain Research Station (now known as the Rocky Mountain Research Station) headquarters in Ogden, Utah. These documents record the efforts taken by the Forest Service to repair and rehabilitate the watersheds above Davis County from the 1930s to the late 1960s.

The majority of the collection consists of action plans, progress reports, maps, geographical, botanical, and climate surveys, streamflow data, and academic publications. In addition to the scientific materials, this collection contains several historical documents, including: newspapers articles, histories written by members of the DCEW task force, and financial reports on early 20th century flood damages. The collection is organized first by general material from the DCEW and then by documents from each particular drainage of the DCEW.

The Davis County Experimental Watershed records have a wide variety of uses for researchers. Those interested in pioneering watershed rehabilitation work, Forest Service projects in Utah, Utah Civilian Conservation Corps projects, and the history of Davis County will find this collection particularly useful. The vegetation, climate and streamflow data may also be valuable to those who want to compare the current state of the Davis County watershed to past conditions.

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 Davis County Experimental Watershed records must be obtained from the Special Collections and Archives manuscript curator and/or the Special Collections and Archives department head.

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation: Davis County Experimental Watershed records USU_COLL MSS 376, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.

Following Citations: USU_COLL MSS 376, USUSCA.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

This collection is organized by material type and watershed.

Processing Note

Processed in March of 2017.

Acquisition Information

This collection was donated to USU Special Collections and Archives by Norbert V. DeByle in 1986. Norbert DeByle worked as a plant ecologist for the Intermountain Research Station and most likely obtained these records through his connections at the station. The origin of material listed under the title "Davis County Watershed Rehabilitation and Management Articles and Reports" was initially unknown, and it was processed separately in 2014 as Coll Mss 479. However, after processing the DeByle's donation in 2016, it become apparent that the material in "Davis County Watershed Rehabilitating and Management Articles and Reports" was likely part of the material donated by DeByle in 1986. These materials were added to the end of this collection and the call number "Coll Mss 479" was made available for another use.

Separated Materials

The photographs and federal publications in this collection have been transferred the photograph curator and Government Documents, respectively.

Bibliography

Croft, A.R. History of Development of the Davis County Experimental Watershed. Ogden, UT: USDA Forest Service Region 4, 1981.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Davis County Experimental Watershed General MaterialReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Action Plans, Reports and Surveys for the DCEW
Box Folder
1 1
"Suggested Outline for an Economic Survey of Davis County in Relation to Torrential Floods."
1934
1 2
Working plan labeled "Study of the Effect of Summer Rains on Trenched Soils and Untrenched Soils."
1937
1 3
Status reports, maps and graphs of DCEW study
1937-1941
1 4
Reports, charts and summaries on watershed soil and vegetation
1937-1941
1 5
Field journals detailing surveys of Kays Creek, Ford, Davis and Provo Canyons' alluvial fans
1938-1939
1 6
Reports and charts on watershed sedimentation and floods
1946-1956
1 7
"Mud-rock Flows from Bairs, Halfway, Corduroy and Whipple Drainages," By A. R. Croft
1947 August 10
1 8
Reports on surface soil properties in relation to site factors
1940
1 9
Preliminary report on the Venturi-trapezoidal flumes by L.K. Hill
undated
1 10
Progress report, "Laboratory Studies of Hydraulic Control Flume Structures,"
undated
1 11
Reports and data sheets from the Venturi-trapezoidal flumes from various DCEW drainages
1941-1945
1 12
Snow surveys for Morris, Miller's, Hell Hole, Rice Canyon, Van Fleet, and Mud Creek drainages
1936-1962
2 1
Johnson and Croft original plant reconnaissance data
1934
2 2
Original belt transect survey
1934
2 3
Topographical survey field journals
1934-1938
2 4
Stream gaging station plans
1940-1946
2 5
Contour trenching action plan, blueprints and cost estimates
1934-1943
2 6
Engineering drawings and blue prints fro gaging stations
1960-1965
3 1
DCEW streamflow summaries, digitized data and accompanying letters
1986
Climatological Data, Reports and Maps
Box Folder
3 2
Maps of precipitation gage locations
1934-1943
3 3
Climatological instrument location maps
1941-1943
3 4
Snow course maps
1936-1965
3 5
Reports on soil water lost by evaporation and transpiration
1948
3 6
Progress report, "Evapo-transpiration in Relation to Soil Stability and Water Available for Streamflow"
1950 March 1
3 6
Progress report, "Evapo-transpiration in Relation to Soil Stability and Water Available for Streamflow"
1950 March 1
3 7
Status reports of climate experiments
1956
4 1
General observations and hourly record of evaporation data sheets
1962
4 2
Hourly record of evaporation data sheets
1962-1965
4 3
General climate data sheets
1962-1965
4 4
Summer climatological data from the Wasatch Goat Climate Station
1939-1958
4 5
Farmington Warehouse evaporation and climatological observations
1963-1967
4 6
Reports, data sheets and graphs discussing factors affecting evaporation rates
1962-1963
4 7
Rainfall data and summaries for Davis Country and various DCEW drainages
1939-1942
4 8
Rainfall data and summaries for Davis Country and various DCEW drainages
1939-1942
Flood Damage Financial Documents
Box Folder
5 1
Utah State Road Commission and other documents
undated
5 2
Letters to A.R. Croft detailing damages sustained by floods from the 1920s and 30s
1934-1935
5 3
Economic surveys of property damage in Davis County
1934
5 4
Economic surveys of property damage in Davis County
1934
DCEW Academic Articles
Box Folder
5 5
Published articles concerning the DCEW
1931-1958
5 6
Published articles concerning the DCEW
1969-1984
bk:
6 1
Publications from Davis County Experimental Watershed Vol. 1
1930-1973
6 2
Publications from Davis County Experimental Watershed Vol. 2
1930-1973
Folder
6 3
Articles written by individuals involved with the DCEW
undated
DCEW Historical Records
Box Folder
6 4
History of the Development of the Davis County Experimental Watershed, by A.R. Croft
May 1981
6 5
Historical reports and personal accounts of the DCEW
1930-1950
7 1
Historical reports and personal accounts of the DCEW
1930-1950
7 2
Newspaper clippings regarding the DCEW
1934-1967

Davis County Experimental Watershed DrainagesReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Parrish Canyon Drainage Material
Box Folder
7 3
Parrish Canyon run-off plot study plans and maps
1935-1946
7 4
Parrish Canyon precipitation, surface run-off and soil erosion data and photographs; plots 1-16
1936-1961
7 5
Parrish Canyon plant and ground cover analysis
1949-1959
7 6
Data showing the relationship between plant density and the overall flow of Parrish Creek
1936-1953
7 7
Run-off record charts for Parrish plot #7
1953-1957
8 1
Parrish Creek streamflow data sheets
1935-1966
8 2
Parrish Creek streamflow data sheets from the 6300' gaging station
1936-1940
8 3
Parrish Creek south fork streamflow data sheets from the 6900' gaging station
1936-1940
9 1
Parrish Creek north fork streamflow data sheets from the 6900' gaging station
1936-1940
9 2
Parrish Creek north fork streamflow data sheets from the 7800' gaging station
1936-1940
9 3
Parrish Spring streamflow data sheets
1936-1940
10 1
Parrish mouth streamflow data sheets
1937-1940
10 2
Parrish Creek streamflow data sheets
1940-1948
10 3
Parrish Creek free-flow discharge data sheets
1939
10 4
Rainfall intensity analysis for Parrish Creek
1936-1966
10 5
Parrish plots and canyon vegetation inventory sheets
1937-1940
11 1
Parrish Creek evaporation data sheets
1965
11 2
Evapo-transpiration report from Parrish plots
1949 March 1
11 3
Parrish climate station data and memos
1936-1946
11 4
Pipeline diversion from Parrish Creek
1952-1954
Centerville Creek Drainage Material
Box Folder
11 5
Centerville Creek hydrograph tracings and rainfall intensity
1942-1965
11 6
Field calibration sheets of the Venturi-trapezoidal flumes
1939
12 1
Centerville Creek mouth streamflow data
1936-1940
12 2
Centerville Creek mouth streamflow data
1940-1947
13 1
Centerville Creek mouth daily, monthly and annual summaries
1944-1957
13 2
Centerville Creek streamflow data, 6000' gaging station
1936-1940
13 3
Centerville Creek streamflow data, 6900' gaging station
1936-1940
14 1
Centerville Creek streamflow data, 7000' gaging station
1936-1940
14 2
Centerville Creek daily, monthly and annually summaries, 7000' gaging station
1936-1941
14 3
Monthly and annual records by elevation zones, Parrish and Centerville drainages
1935-1943
14 4
Streamflow data for Parrish and Centerville creeks
1935-1941
14 5
Various statistics and data for Parrish and Centerville creeks
1936-1941
Ford Creek Drainage Material
Box Folder
15 1
Ford Creek catchment basin field journals.
1934
15 2
Ford Creek catchment basin field journals.
1935
15 3
Map and structural drawings of the Ford Creek catchment basin
1935
15 4
Ford Creek field journals.
1935-1936
15 5
Rainfall intensity data for Ford Creek
1963-1966
Steed, Buckland, Davis, and Bairs Drainages Material
Box Folder
16 1
Sedimentation and rainfall intensity data for Davis Creek
1947-1965
16 2
Sedimentation data for Bairs Canyon
1948-1959
16 3
Rainfall intensity data for Bairs Canyon
1948-1957
16 4
Rainfall intnsity data for Steed and Buckland Canyons
1959-1966
Farmington Canyon Drainage Material
Box Folder
16 5
Original survey of the Farmington Creek Drainage
1937
16 6
Plot interval tables, south side of Farmington Creek
1938-1939
16 7
Maps of the Farmington Canyon Experimental Watershed
1940
17 1
Assorted notes and procedure plans for Farmington Canyon
1937-1948
17 2
Plant density estimates and other data, south side
1937-1948
17 3
Assorted streamflow data and summaries
1940-1952
17 3
Assorted streamflow data and summaries
1940-1952
17 4
Tables, plot intervals and field notebooks, Farmington Canyon north side
1940
17 5
Farmington Creek stream gaging station data
1940-1943
17 6
Farmington Creek rainfall intensity analysis
1955-1965
17 6
Farmington Creek rainfall intensity analysis
1955-1965
17 7
Farmington Creek evaporation data
1944
18 1
Farmington mouth streamflow data
1940-1941
18 2
Farmington mouth streamflow data
1940-1965
18 3
Description of photographs of plant survey plots: Farmington Canyon, north side
undated
18 4
Description of phtographs of plant survey plots: Farmington Canyon, south side
undated

Farmington Canyon Experimental Watershed Sub-drainages materialsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Mud Creek Drainage
Box Folder
18 5
Mud Creek plot interval sheets and maps
1938
18 6
Mud Creek soil survey field sheets
1938
19 1
Mud Creek plant inventory field sheets
1939-1940
19 2
Mud Creek field calibration of Venturi-trapezoidal flumes
1953
19 3
Mud Creek streamflow data charts
1956-1959
Hollingsworth Canyon Drainage Material
Box Folder
19 4
Hollingsworth Canyon plot map
1940
19 5
Hollingsworth Canyon plant inventory field sheets
1940
19 6
Hollingsworth soil survey analysis
1940
19 7
Hollingsworth Canyon Venturi-trapezoidal flume callibrations
1942-1948
19 7
Hollingsworth Canyon Venturi-trapezoidal flume callibrations
1942-1948
Miller Canyon Drainage Material
Box Folder
20 1
Map and plot summaries of Miller Canyon Drainage
1942-1948
20 2
Miller Canyon soil survey field sheets and lab analysis
1938-1940
20 3
Plant inventory and re-inventory, plots 833-857
1938-1940
20 4
Plant inventory and re-inventory, plots 884-908
1938-1940
20 5
Plant inventory and re-inventory, plots 983-1007
1939-1953
20 6
Plant inventory and re-inventory, plots 933-1251
1939-1953
21 1
Plant inventory and re-inventory, plots 739-777
1939-1953
21 1
Plant inventory and re-inventory, plots 739-777
1939-1953
21 2
Plant inventory and re-inventory, plots 793-809
1939-1953
21 3
Plant inventory and re-inventory, plots 1098-1215
1939-1953
21 4
Plant re-inventory summary
1953
21 5
Miller Canyon evaporation and precipitation records
1936-1963
22 1
Miller Creek streamflow data charts
1948-1952
22 2
Miller Creek streamflow data charts
1952-1957
22 3
Miller Creek streamflow data charts
1957-1961
23 1
Miller Creek streamflow data charts
1961-1968
23 2
Miller Creek streamflow data charts
1961-1968
23 3
Miller Creek streamflow data reduction
1964-1969
23 3
Miller Creek streamflow data reduction
1964-1969
23 4
Miller Creek precipitation data sheets
1943-1944
23 4
Miller Creek precipitation data sheets
1943-1944
23 5
Miller Creek plant survey photograph desriptions
undated
Corduroy Creek Drainage Material
Box Folder
24 1
Corduroy Creek plant inventory field sheets
1940
24 2
Corduroy Creek soil survey
1940
24 3
Corduroy Creek venturi-trapezoidal flume field calibrations
1940
24 3
Corduroy Creek venturi-trapezoidal flume field calibrations
1940
Whipple Creek Drainage Material
Box Folder
24 4
Plot map of Corduroy and Whipple drainages
undated
24 5
Plot map of Corduroy and Whipple drainages
1940
24 6
Whipple Creek plant inventory field sheets
1940
24 7
Whipple Creek streamflow charts
undated
Halfway Creek Drainage Material
Box Folder
24 8
Plot map of Halfway Creek drainage
undated
24 9
Halfway Creek soil survey field sheets and evaporation data
1940
24 10
Halfway Creek plant inventory field sheets and summary of vegetation by condition class
1940
24 10
Halfway Creek plant inventory field sheets and summary of vegetation by condition class
1940
24 11
Halfway Creek streamflow charts
1953-1958
25 1
Halfway Creek streamflow charts
1958-1962
25 2
Halfway Creek streamflow charts
1962-1971
25 3
Halfway Creek streamflow data reduction
1964-1969
Morris Canyon Drainage Material
Box Folder
26 1
Plot maps of Morris Canyon Drainage
1938
26 2
Morris Canyon plant inventory fields sheets
1936-1953
26 3
Vegetation re-inventory summary sheets
1953
26 4
Morris Canyon soil inventory field sheets
1939
26 5
Morris Creek sedimentation rates
1947-1961
26 6
Morris Creek storage gage documents
1940-1949
27 1
Morris Creek streamflow charts
1950-1953
27 2
Morris Creek streamflow charts
1953-1957
27 3
Morris Creek streamflow charts
1957-1962
27 3
Morris Creek streamflow charts
1957-1962
27 4
Morris Creek streamflow charts
1962-1966
28 1
Plant survey plots photograph descriptions
undated
Van Fleet Canyon Drainage Material
Box Folder
28 2
Plot maps and summaries of the Van Fleet Canyon drainage
1938
28 3
Plant inventory field sheets of Van Fleet Canyon
1939
28 4
Soil survey field sheets of Van Fleet Canyon
1938
28 5
Field calibration of Venturi-trapezoidal flumes for Van Fleet Canyon
1943-1948
Bigler Canyon Drainage
Box Folder
28 6
Plot Maps of Bigler and Hollingsworth Canyons
undated
28 7
Soil sample survey of Bigler Canyon
1940
28 8
Plant inventory field sheets of Bigler Canyon
1940
28 9
Field calibration data of Venturi-trapezoidal flumes of Bigler Creek
1940-1943
Hell-hole Canyon Drainage Material
Box Folder
28 10
Plot maps and summaries of Hell-hole drainage
1938
28 11
Soil survey field sheets of Hell-hole Canyon
1938
29 1
Hell-hole plant inventory field sheets
1934-1939
29 2
Field calibration of Venturi-trapezoidal flumes of Hell-hole Canyon
1939-1948
Rice Canyon Drainage
Box Folder
29 3
Plot maps and descriptions of Rice Canyon drainage
1938
29 4
Soil survey field sheets and data
1938
29 5
Rice Canyon plant inventory field sheets and data
1938
30 1
Field calibration data of Venturi-trapezoidal flumes of Rice Canyon
1939-1948
30 2
Tempertatue and evaporation data for Rice Canyon
1938-1966

Davis County Watershed Rehabilitation and Management Articles and ReportsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
31 1
Historical and Scientific Accounts of Floods, Erosion and Watershed Management in Utah 1800s-1950s by J. Marvin Rosa
October 1981
31 2
Investigation of Tastes in Salt Lake City Public Water Supply
1923
31 3
A Study of Herbaceous Plant Cover on Surface Run-Off and Soil Erosion in Relating to Grazing on the Wasatch Plateau in Utah by C.L. Fosling
March 1931
31 4
Watershed Management for Summer Flood Control in Utah produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
1947
31 5
Sediment through Watershed Rehabilitation by Edward Noble
1963 January 28
31 6
Floods and Accelerated Erosion in Northern Utah produced by the Department of Agriculture and "Floods Controlled on Davis County Watershed," from the Journal of Forestry
undated
31 7
Rainstorm Debris Floods: A Problem with Public Welfare by Russell Croft by Russell Croft
May 1967
31 8
"When Rainstorms Moved Boulders", Intermountain Reporter produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service in Ogden, Utah
March 1981
31 9
H.W. Pledger's account of Farmington Canyon in 1936
undated
31 10
The Davis County Experimental Watershed Story and Guide to the Davis County Experimental Watershed Farmington, Utah by Richard B. Marston
1953-1958
31 11
History of Development of the Davis County Experimental Watershede by Russell Croft
May 1981
31 12
A Picture Story of the Field Trip Over Davis County Experimental Watershed for Members of the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, United States Senate
1953 September 14
31 13
"Status and Condition Summary of Streamflow and Climatic Data from Davis County Experimental Watershed" by Alden Blain
December 1964
31 14
Climate relations and snow slides from Ricahrd Marston in Rice Canyon (includes photos with summaries)
1955
31 15
"Livestock Trails to Better Ranges" Tribune Travel Logs
1924 September 7
31 16
"Flood Check Project Nearing Completion" The Salt Lake Tribune
1934 October 21
31 17
"Uncle Sam's Sub-marginal Land Program: An Important Phase of Land Use Planning is Aimed at Rehabilitating Farm Families Stranded on Unproductive Areas and Higher Use of Land" The Christmas News
1934 December 15
31 18
"Damage from Unchecked Erosion" Utah Farmer
1935 October 10
31 19
"Why All These Floods?" Utah Farmer
1935 October 25
31 20
"Science Conquers the Flood in Utah" Rocky Mountain Empire Magazine
1947 February 2
31 21
"Wasatch Front Vulnerable to Devastation of Flood" The Salt Lake Tribune
1981 July 27
31 22
"Veteran Recalls Fighting Mudrock Floods with Trenches" The Standard-Examiner
1981 August 30
32 1
Ground water studies observation and record sheets
1939-1941
32 2
Handwritten records and summaries of Rice Canyon
1936-1944
32 3
Elevation of the Great Salt Lake records
1952-1955
32 4
Elevation of the Great Salt Lake records
1956-1960
32 5
Elevation of the Great Salt Lake records
1961-1964
32 6
Elevation of the Great Salt Lake records
1965-1967
33 1
Proof of article "Floods and Flood Erosion in Utah"
1934 September 7

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Experimental watershed areas--Utah.
  • Flood control--Utah--Davis County Experimental Watershed.
  • Flood control--Utah--Great Salt Lake Watershed.
  • Flood control--Wasatch Range (Utah and Idaho)
  • Watershed management--Utah--Davis County Experimental Watershed.
  • Watershed management--Utah--Great Salt Lake Watershed.
  • Watershed management--Wasatch Range (Utah and Idaho)
  • Wildlife management areas--Utah--Davis County Experimental Watershed.
  • Wildlife management areas--Wasatch Range (Utah and Idaho)

Geographical Names

  • Davis County Experimental Watershed (Utah)
  • Wasatch Range (Utah and Idaho)--Research