Engineering in the Soil Conservation Service
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Cover: Spraying a mixture of cement, sand, and water on a prepared ditch bank with a Jetcrete hose and nozzle. Texas photograph number Tex-46608. Soil Conservation Service. --:I July 1993 TabIe of Contents PREFACE ................................................................ v .. INTRODUCTION ......................................................... vli TECHNICAL HERITAGE ................................................. 1 THE SOIL EROSION SERVICE ............................................ 4 ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE .............. 6 Erosion Control Practices ............................................. 7 Research Programs ................................................... 8 EMERGENCY WORK PROGRAMS ....................................... 10 Civilian Conservation Corps ........................................... 10 Works Progress Administration Participation ............................ 11 Related Conservation Programs ....................................... 12 NEW AUTHORITIES ..................................................... 13 Flood Control and Watershed Protection ............................... 13 Water Facilities Program .............................................. 14 Land Utilization Projects .............................................. 14 Wheeler-Case Projects ............................................... 15 ORIGINAL TECHNICAL ORGANIZATION TI-IROUGH 1953 ................ 17 Washington Office ................................................... 17 Regional Offices ..................................................... 17 State. District. and Work Unit Offices .................................. 18 TECHNICAL ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT .......................... 19 Washington Headquarters ............................................ 19 National Specialized Engineering Units ................................. 20 Engineering and Watershed Planning Units .............................21 Related Technical Support Units .......................................21 Technical Centers .................................................... 21 State Offices ........................................................ 22 Field Offices ....................................................... -22 ENGINEERING DELIVERY ..............................................23 Engineering Handbooks ..............................................23 Standard Plans .......................................................25 Engineering Practice Standards ........................................25 Job Approval Authorities .............................................25 Use of Non-Federal Personnel .........................................26 DEVELOPMENT OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY ......................27 Hydrology ..........................................................27 Snow Survey .........................................................28 Hydraulics ..........................................................29 Engineering Geology .................................................30 Soil Mechanics .....................................................-31 Sedimentation Geology ...............................................32 Structural Engineering ................................................32 Landscape Architecture ...............................................33 Environmental Engineering ...........................................33 Computer Modeling and Software ......................................34 DEVELOPMENT OF ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS FOR SCS PROGRAMS 35 Erosion Control .....................................................35 Irrigation ...........................................................36 Drainage ............................................................37 Flood Control and Soil and Water Resource Development ................38 Water Quality .......................................................38 The 1985 Farm Bill ...................................................38 DEVELOPMENT OF ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT .....................39 Design ..............................................................39 Construction ........................................................40 Operation and Maintenance ...........................................41 SCS LEADERSHIP IN THE ENGINEERING PROFESSTON ..................43 Consensus Standards .................................................43 Technical Materials ..................................................43 Sand and Gravel Filter Criteria ........................................44 Filter Diaphragms ....................................................44 Spillway Studies ..................................................... 44 SOME PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS ......................................45 LITERATURE CITED ..................................................... 47 REFERENCES ............................................................ 48 Appendix A ............................................................... A-1 Appendix B ............................................................... B- 1 Appendix C ............................................................... C-1 Appendix D ............................................................... D-1 Appendix E ............................................................... E-1 Appendix F ................................................................F-1 Preface The object of this paper is to document some of the developments that have brought the engineering profession in the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) to its present high level of competence and production. There have been thousands of engineers, geologists, architects, technicians and others who, though unheralded, have contributed to the engineering proficiency of the Service. This account is far from complete and many who deserve special recognition have been missed. We apologize for any errors. However, the authors hope that this will provide some help to others who someday will prepare a more comprehensive record. Our thanks are due to Douglas Helms, SCS Historian, and to the retired and active members of the SCS family who have contributed memories, searched their files for old records, and generously contributed to the endeavor. INTRODUCTION TheSoil Conservation Service (SCS), now as in the past, relies upon interdisciplinary cooperation among many professionals to accomplish its mission. Rather than being dominated by one discipline as was the case in other government agencies of the time, Hugh Mammond Bennett, creator of the agency, believed that the several disciplines needed to work together for the common goal of soil and water conservation. This emphasis upon a multi-disciplinary work force has proven to be the strength of SCS. The authors of this study each served as director of the Engineer- ing Division: JohnT Phelan, 1971-1974 and Donald L. Basinger, 1984-1989. Their historical perspective on the development and contributions of engineering to the conservation effort is valuable to current employees in SCS. The Service thanks them for volun- teering their time, effort, and experience in writing this volume. SCS also thanks J.D. Ross and Steve Phillips of the Economics and Social Sciences Division for their assistance in preparing this volume. Gerald D. Sebz will, RE. Douglas Helms Director of Engineering National Historian Soil Conservation Service Soil Conservation Service ENGINEERING IN THE U.S. SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE John T. Phelan and Donald L. Basinger* TECHNICAL HERITAGE early work in the fields of hydrology, water supply, irrigation and drainage. Engineers in the Soil Conservation Service The Bureau of Chemistry and Soils and (SCS) have a rich and significant legacy. the Bureau of Agricultural Engineering, Though the agency and its predecessor, the some of whose functions are now with the Soil Erosion Service (SES), only date back SCS, also conducted programs and to 1933, much valuable research, field trials, studies that still guide engineering evaluations and studies had been design. conducted earlier. Many of these investigations were made by personnel in As early as 1862 the USDA demon- the Department of Agriculture, but other strated interest in landscape Federal departments, bureaus, State architecture. William Saunders was agencies, universities and private employed as a botanist and super- individuals and organizations also made intendent of propagating gardens and important contributions. The work of these during his 38 years of distinguished early scientists and engineers provided a service, he was responsible for such solid foundation for conduct of an important works as the layout of operations program when national concern Gettysburg Cemetery and contributed to with the soil erosion problem demanded the landscaping of the Capitol grounds action. and the streets and parks of Washington, DC. His photo is on the frontispiece of Observations and reports on the problem of the 1900 Yearbook of Agriculture. erosion had been noted for centuries. In the United States, several perceptive Probably the earliest responsibilities of observers in the eighteenth century wrote federal engineers in the field of soil and of the soil losses. But with new lands water lay in their involvement with available to be broken in the west, farmers irrigation. Early Department work were not especially concerned. In fact included "Irrigation Investigations" some farmers spoke of having "worn out" undertaken in 1898 and drainage studies one farm before they settled westward. instituted in 1902.' The settlement of the western states in the nineteenth