Clifford Allen Betts papers, 1902-1975

Clifford Allen Betts (1889-1982), a hydraulic engineer, began his career with the Denver Municipal Water Works, and went on to work for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation from 1928-1935, helping to build the Owyhee Dam in Oregon. He later worked for the U.S. Forest Service from 1935-1954, supervising the construction of over 100 dams. Betts was originally from Norwalk, Connecticut and attended Yale, where he received a Ph.B, and also attended the University of Wisconsin. Betts was quite active professionally as a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (past President of the Washington, D.C., Section), Washington Society of Engineers (past President), Colorado Society of Engineers (past Director), D.C. Council of Engineering and Architects Association (past Chairman), and Washington Academy of Sciences. He was also the recipient of numerous professional awards, including the ASCE's Thomas Fitch Rowland Prize in 1932 for his work on the Moffat Tunnel and the Civil Engineering History and Heritage Award in 1975.In 1954 and again in 1975 he received the Annual Award of the Washington Society of Engineers. In 1973 he became an Honorary member of Chi Epsilon at the University of Colorado and in 1966 he received the Wisconsin Alumni Association Spark Plug Award.