U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Project histories
Scope and Contents
The collection contains Bureau of Reclamation project histories for Boise, Columbia Basin, Owyhee, and Yakima.
The Boise project histories contain material from 1923-1925, 1940, 1944, 1948, 1951-1955.
The Columbia Basin project histories contain material from 1947.
The Owyhee project histories contain material from 1935-1939, 1940-1941, 1949, 1950, 1952-1956.
The Yakima project histories contain material from 1935-1937.
Dates
- 1923-1956
Creator
- United States. Bureau of Reclamation (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish collection materials must be submitted to Special Collections and University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.
Biographical / Historical
In July of 1902, Secretary of the Interior Ethan Allen Hitchcock established the United States Reclamation Service (USRS) within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). In 1907, the USRS separated from the USGS to become an independent bureau within the Department of the Interior.
As settlers moved west across the United States, complicated water laws and increasing demand for water resulted in mounting pressure for the Federal Government to develop water resources. In the jargon of the day, advocates called irrigation projects "reclamation projects.” The concept was that irrigation would "reclaim" or “subjugate” western arid lands for human use.
[Source: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation website: http://www.usbr.gov/history/2011NEWBRIEFHISTORYV1.pdf]
Extent
3 linear feet (2 containers) : 2 record storage boxes
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation was created in 1902 because of mounting pressure for the federal government to develop water resources. The collection contains Bureau of Reclamation project histories for Boise, Columbia Basin, Owyhee, and Yakima.
Arrangement
Material within this collection is minimally arranged. Any arrangement is either derived from the records' creators or custodians or from staff at the time of initial processing. It may be necessary to look in multiple places for the same types of materials.
Processing Information
Collection processed by staff.
This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
This collection received a basic level of processing including minimal organization and rehousing.
Description information is drawn in part from information supplied with the collection and initial surveys of the contents.
- Boise Project, Idaho and Oregon (U.S.)
- Columbia Basin Project (U.S.)
- Owyhee Project (U.S.)
- Project files Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- United States. Bureau of Reclamation
- Water and Water Rights Subject Source: Archiveswest
- Water resources development -- Idaho Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Water resources development -- Oregon Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Water resources development -- Washington (State) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Yakima Project (U.S.)
- Title
- Guide to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Project Histories
- Status
- Complete Description
- Author
- Tanya Parlet.
- Date
- 2012
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English
- Sponsor
- Funding for production of this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
Repository Details
Part of the University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives Repository
