L.M. Winsor photograph collection

L.M. Winsor photograph collection, 1915-1963

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Winsor, L. M. (Luther Martin), 1884-1968.
Title: L.M. Winsor photograph collection
Dates: 1915-1963 (inclusive)
19151963

1915-1941 (bulk)
19151941
Quantity: 6 boxes, (2.5 linear ft.)
Collection Number: USU_P0343
Summary: Black & white photographs and negatives that document Winsor's career as an irrigation specialist and flood control researcher. Collectively, the photographs show the step-by-step construction of many dams and flood control barriers, and chronicle the changing machinery and technologies used to build dams from 1915 to the early 1940s. Included in the images are many different irrigation and flood control projects, the surveying of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, and photos of the Lake Mead area. Many of the photos are of Winsor's farm or projects in Enterprise, Utah. Also contains his report, "Utah's flood problem," and photos showing damage from various Utah floods and flood control projects, in particular the Willard, Utah flood of Aug. 13, 1923.
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: Restrictions
Open to public research.
Languages: English.
Sponsor: Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Luther M. Winsor, born in Hebron, Utah on January 21, 1884, spent his whole life working with water, irrigation, and flood control. With his experience and expertise he was appointed to governmental positions on both the state and national level as well as serving as a specialist to private companies. The bulk of his work with irrigation and flood control kept him in Utah, but he also studied and developed water programs in Chile, Iran, Canada, and much of the western United States.

His early life in Hebron, Washington County, consisted of learning first-hand about irrigation, masonry, and railroad surveying. In 1904 he registered at Utah Agricultural College (now Utah State University) in Logan. From the outset of his education he focused on irrigation. He not only attended college, but he also gained valuable field experience by working under the State Engineer in Logan measuring water levels in canals and studying water use in crop production with an appointment from the United States Division of Irrigation Investigations. In 1911 he became the first person in Utah to receive a degree in Irrigation Engineering. In 1926 Winsor earned a Master's degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

Winsor held numerous positions, most of which were concerned with irrigation and flood control. Shortly after he received his degree, Winsor became the first County Agent in the West and served posts in the Uintah Basin and in Colorado. In 1913 he served as the Irrigation Specialist, a position he held for more than 20 years, for the state of Utah. It was in this capacity that he assisted in analyzing floods and developed the barrier system of flood control, in which debris is channeled away from flood waters.

Besides assisting in many flood control projects in Utah, in 1918 Winsor was called upon by the American Smelting and Refining Company to investigate irrigation and, as a result, increase food production for the company's copper mine camp in northern Chile. He would also assist the company on future projects in Garfield, Utah and Black Lake, Quebec. Winsor felt his most significant work, however, was in Iran (under appointment from the President of the United States) serving as Director General at the Ministry of Agriculture. Winsor spent almost five years in the 1940s in the Middle East.

Winsor published extensively about the many projects he assisted on or developed. On January 18, 1968 he passed away. His groundbreaking work set standards for flood control and irrigation not only in Utah, but throughout the West.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The L.M. Winsor Photograph Collection consists of 943 photographs and negatives that document Winsor's carreer as an irrigation specialist and flood control researcher. Collectively, the photographs show the step-by-step construction of many dams and flood control barriers, and chronicle the changing machinery and technologies used to build dams from 1915 to the early 1940s.

Box 1 documents the building of a dam at Enterprise, Utah from 1915 through 1918. Boxes 2 and 3 contain photographs and negatives in chronological order by year, from 1916 to 1941. Included in the images are many different irrigation and flood control projects, along with the surveying of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Box 4 is comprised mostly of unidentified prints. The photos in box 5 are part of a report submitted by Winsor to the Utah State Land Board. Although this report on Utah's flood problems was originally located in the manuscript collection (MSS 98), it was included because of the link with the photos in Box 5. Most photographs were given detailed captions by Winsor.

L.M. Winsor's original captions were used where available to describe the images. His original numbering was also maintained in addition to our own numbering system. Within the first 3 boxes, there is an occasional empty envelope with a typed caption. These original envelopes were kept in the collection because they may correspond with photos in the L.M. Winsor manuscript collection (MSS 98). This collection also contains a box marked "Picture Index," but does not refer to photographs in this collection. All of the negatives appear to be made of nitrate cellulose. Box 3 also contains 57 negatives which are recent copies of existing photos and negatives from the L.M. Winsor manuscript collection #98.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.

Permission to publish material from the L.M. Winsor photograph collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Photograph Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Preferred Citation

L.M. Winsor photograph collection, 1915-1963. (P0343). Utah State University. Special Collections & Archives Department.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged in numeric sequence according to Box and item

Acquisition Information

Donated in 1968 by Mrs. L.M. Winsor

Processing Note

Guide completed by Matthew Stiffler, May 2003.

Separated Materials

Photographs and report in box 5 were removed from L.M. Winsor papersMSS 98.

Related Materials

L.M. Winsor manuscript collection (COLL MSS 98)

Container(s): Box 4, Folder 26

North Salt LakeReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 5, Folder 1

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		5:01: Erosion North Salt Lake	1932
		5:02: Erosion west of Salt Lake on north of Oquirrh Mountains

Willard FloodReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 5, Folder 2

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		5:03: Scenes along Main Street, Willard, following the flood of	August 13, 1923
		5:04: Scenes along Main Street, Willard, following the flood of	August 13, 1923
		5:05: Looking down Main Street Willard, from the north end of the town	August 18, 1923
		5:06: This barn, containing livestock, automobile trucks, and 75 tons of hay was carried 1/4 mile and deposited on Main Street
		5:07: Site of the Willard Flood Barrier	September 3, 1923
		5:08: The same site as 5:07, May 10, 1924, two days after construction began
		5:09: In 1925 the Willard Barrier Basin was extended 500 feet further south along the State highway. This picture shows the interior of the southwest corner, as it was prepared to receive the 1925 deposit of gravel carried by high water in May
		5:10: This panorama shows the same view as 5:09 in July 1925, following a summer freshet, after gravel deposited in May had been scraped to the outer bank
		5:11: Willard Barrier at the close of the second high water season following control	(June 1926)
		5:12: A close up of the spillway, same date as 5:11
		5:13: Interior of the New Barrier Basin-	June 1925
		5:14: Raising the outer bank still higher-July 1926, just previous to summer flood, see panorama (5:10)
		5:15: Closing an opening through one of the control deflectors at upper end of Willard Barrier Basin
		5:16: Southwest corner of Willard Barrier, July 30, 1925 during the second season of operation
		5:17: Timber coarse straw and boulders, were used to define the limits of the Willard Barrier Basin
		5:18: Another view of the Barrier during the first few days of construction. The natural slope of the ground surface was away from rather than toward the channel excavated by steam shovel through the flood debris. When the flood was allowed to spread at random over the depository there followed a constant battle to prevent it from over-topping the lateral embankment, beyond which it would have flooded homes and orchard lands
		5:19: A Beaver dam built by man to divert the stream (Willard Creek) into the Barrier Basin
		5:20: Temporary spillway just above highway crossing
		5:21: Drifting gravel becomes a menace following torrential floods. In an effort to cope with the problem, the State highway department in cooperation with the Willard Flood Relief Committee excavated a deep, narrow channel from the mouth of the canyon to the low lands, across the highway and both railroads a distance of over a mile. It had been assumed that by confining the stream in this manner its high velocity would carry the burden of sand and gravel along. On the contrary, however, the new channel was filled to bank level with gravel within 5 days after high water began to flow. Highway and railroads were blocked and valuable farm lands were buried beneath a heavy bed of gravel. Photograph shows emergency crossing highway, and teams at work endeavoring to keep the channel open on the day flood control work began May 8, 1924
		5:22: The same as 5:21, five days later. When the stream was cleared of its burden, above the hastily improvised barrier, it was free to pick up a new load. Note the successive erosions caused by daily fluctuation in runoff from melting snows. The channel was deepened 18 inches the first night after control. 12 inches the second night during the peak of heavy runoff and so on until a permanent bed was reached 12 feet below highway level
		5:23: Railroad crossing at Willard Creek--2 days after stream was placed under control
		5:24: Crib and rock protection in Willard Canyon beneath a 75 foot bank of gravel

FarmingtonReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 5, Folder 3

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		5:25: Farmington Flood Barrier in its early stages of development
		5:26: Farmington Flood Barrier successfully controlling a heavy torrential flood of	July 3, 1925
		5:27: Farmington Spillway following a torrential flood
		5:28: Debris deposited above the Farmington Barrier by the flood of July 3, 1926. Control was so complete that the citizens did not know a flood was on. Without control there would have been a repetition of	Aug. 13, 1923
		5:29: Farmington Spillway of rubble-concrete during the first season of operation	April 1925
		5:30: The same as 5:29 in	1927
		5:31: Farmington Flood Barrier at the close of a season of excessive high water which carried hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of sand and gravel into the control basin
		5:32: Looking up stream from spillway into Farmington Barrier Basin

Ford Creek/Parrish CreekReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 5, Folder 4

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		5:33: Ford Creek, Davis County, after the third torrential flood in recent years. The high banks of sand and gravel were deposited when Lake Bonneville occupied the higher levels. These banks are characteristic of each of the Davis County flood channels. It has been proved conclusively that the recent floods have cut through these Bonneville deposits for the first time since the lake receded over 25,000 years ago
		5:34: Result of mud flow from torrential flood, Ford Creek	August 13, 1923
		5:35: The disaster of 1923 repeated on Ford Creek in a series of three floods in 1930
		5:36: (No info. provided)
		5:37: Ford Creek in 1924 following 1923 floods. Looking down stream across highway on which great quantities of gravel were deposited during summer runoff. It is characteristic that heavy gravel flows follow excessive torrential floods
		5:38: Looking across State highway at Ford Creek following 1930 flood. Note depth of flow and size of boulders compared with automobile in foreground at left
		5:39: Parrish Creek showing Centerville School in the midst of an area devastated by the floods of 1930
		5:40: Remnants of a home on Parrish Creek near the Centerville School	September 1930
		5:41: Highway below Centerville School, Parrish Creek 1930 floods
		5:42: Another home near Centerville School	1930

Davis County/Steed Creek/ Fiddler's CreekReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 5, Folder 5

Container(s)		Description
		5:43. and 5:44: Two pictures showing consistency of mud flows in Davis County. This accounts for the ability of such floods to carry boulders weighing more than 200 tons each far out on to flood planes below the confinement of canyon walls
		5:45: Digging the State Highway out after a typical Davis County flood
		5:46: A minor flood from Steed Creek blocked the highway as indicated
		5:47: Highway at Steed Creek crossing during torrential flood, looking up stream. Autos are in outer edge of flood and are partly buried
		5:48: A woven wire fence parallel to direction of flow held a torrential flood within bounds, just above highway crossing at Fiddler's Creek, near Cedar City

Salt creek/Chalk CreekReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 5, Folder 6

Container(s)		Description
		5:49: Bingham was also severely hit by flood and fire
		5:50: Weber Canyon, Aug. 1930. Looking down stream where torrential flood carried a dam completely across the river, forcing the stream to flow down the highway
		5:51: Looking up stream across Salt Creek upper Barrier after it had been in operation two years. Note the immense deposit of gravel above the water line, also the extent of the still water pool which did not fill during the first twenty four hours as was predicted by skeptical water user
		5:52: Spillway through above barrier
		5:53: Lower Barrier on Salt Creek above Nephi at the beginning of the third season of operation
		5:54: Salt Creek out of bounds at plaster Mill above Nephi, on the evening of Aug. 13, 1923 the same time that Farmington and Willard were devastated
		5:55: Chalk Creek before control in 1921--Note that stream bed is filled above level of adjacent farms
		5:56: Chalk Creek Barrier and Spillway which for ten years has successfully controlled floods and caused the high water streams to completely unload their burden of gravel which was formerly a menace to successful irrigation

Kanosh Creek/Parowan/Shoal CreekReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 5, Folder 7

Container(s)		Description
		5:57: Kanosh Creek Barrier and Spillway soon after completion--Note the depth at lower toe. Also the cutoff structure in foreground at right; same to prevent erosion. crest and floor of Juniper timber, wings of cottonwood and boulders
		5:58: Sand and gravel were a serious menace to Parowan City and to the irrigation system before the Barrier was built in 1925
		5:59: Gravel deposited above the Parowan Flood Barrier supplies the building needs of the community
		5:60: Parowan Barrier after a terrific flood. Fine debris carried down to crest of Spillway but no coarse material even approached the structure
		5:61: Excavation for Shoal Creek Diversion Dam, above Enterprise
		5:62: The same site as 5:61 after completed
		5:63: Looking up stream through spillway of Shoal Creek Diversion Dam
		5:64: The same looking down stream. This structure made of Juniper timbers cribbed and spiked together and loaded down with dirt and rocks puddled into place
		5:65: (No info. provided)
		5:66: Equalizing Reservoir No. 1- on Shoal Creek
		5:67: Equalizing Reservoir No. 2- on Shoal Creek. These Reservoirs built by water users with but little skilled help

Various Diversion Dams in UtahReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 5, Folder 8

Container(s)		Description
		5:68: Constructing Flood Control Diversion Dam at Summit
		5:69: The same after completion and after a terrific summer flood carrying boulders weighing tons each
		5:70: Diversion Dam above Orderville. This structure crude as it is, has been a material factor in preventing excessive erosion of the upper Virgin immediately above Orderville
		5:71: Diversion Dam above Escalante in Potato Valley
		5:72: Diversion Dam on Canal Creek, after a terrific flood in July 1922. (Spring City)
		5:73: Diversion Dam on Haghts Creek, buried by a devastating flood July 3, 1926--When uncovered the structure was found to be intact except for one wing. (In Davis County above Bountiful)

Various Flood Barriers and Spillways in UtahReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 5, Folder 9

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		5:74: Ford Creek, Davis County, after the third torrential flood in recent years. The high banks of sand and gravel were deposited when Lake Bonneville occupied the higher levels. These banks are characteristic of each of the Davis County flood channels. It has been proved conclusively that the recent floods have cut through these Bonneville deposits for the first time since the lake receded over 25,000 years ago
		5:75: Mt. Pleasant Flood Barrier Spillway--Nearing completion Nov. 11, 1928--Looking downstream. (In Sanpete)	Nov. 11, 1928
		5:76: The same as 5:75, in September 1929 following a terrific mud and boulder flow, looking up stream. (Geo. Albert Smith in front)
		5:77: Manti Barrier, at the close of the high water season
		5:78: Manti Barrier Spillway in operation. A close up
		5:79: Constructing the main barrier and spillway in Payson Creek, rocks dragged into place by teams are grouted with concrete to hold them in position
		5:80: A secondary spillway on Payson Creek made of timber. Photograph shows main floor being placed

Santa Clara CreekReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 5, Folder 10

Container(s)		Description
		5:81: Erosion on Santa Clara Creek is a problem of great concern to the farmers of St. George and Santa Clara. Note the depth of the fertile orchard lands. The last flood widened the channel a hundred feet at the point shown. (Wallie Mathis Farm)
		5:82: An attempt at control on Santa Clara Creek. The water users are willing and anxious to do what they can to save their farms. Since this report was written they have been organized for flood control and are at work under an assistant to the author who is carrying out an organized plan of control along the entire stream

WoodruffReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 5, Folder 11

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		5:83: Woodruff equalizing reservoir, showing first construction camp, 1926, and beginning of the new dam. This structure is being raised at the rate of six to eight feet each fall. The spillway is a part of the dam and is made of rubble-concrete
		5:84: Woodruff Spillway at the height of 24 feet which was the first level reached
		5:85: Woodruff Reservoir, Spring of 1930, during the time of heaviest spring floods
		5:86: Woodruff Spillway-	1930

Kessler CanyonReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 5, Folder 12

Container(s)		Description
		5:87: Kessler Canyon Barrier Spillway--Looking down stream toward Garfield Smelter. This structure stands 80 feet above original streambed. (After forms had been removed)
		5:88: The same as 5:87, after a torrential flood which reached a depth of 7 feet over the 70 foot crest. Note the Tower drag line and the caterpillar dragline in position. When completed the embankment on left was raised ten feet above the wing walls and 25 feet above the spillway crest. (The crest was then raised to 114 feet, its present level in 1965)
		5:89: Looking up stream from Garfield Smelter at series of control structures in Kessler Canyon. The tall derrick in the distance is stationed at the site of the main barrier
		5:90: Looking down stream across site of main Barrier Spillway Kessler Canyon, during construction
		5:91: Lifting Boulders out of the ground for use in building main spillway. Kessler Canyon. These were loaded by drag line crane on to heavy wagons then hauled to site of spillway by tractor
		5:92: Boulders being placed by heavy derrick, in foundation of main spillway, Kessler Canyon
		5:93: Building an equalizing check above intake to tunnel through Garfield Smelter. Note main tunnel opening in distance, which is same cross-sectional area as opening in foreground. (Incidentally, this and other checks saved the smelter. There were 4 additional floods in 1927-no further damage)
		5:94: Constructing a check dam in Kessler Canyon below main structure
		5:95: Looking down stream from main spillway. Kessler Canyon. The screen in middle of picture was built to remove floating debris which might clog the tunnel, intake of which is shown in the distance. Railroad yards and Garfield Smelter in background beyond which is great Salt Lake
		5:96: Detail of Rubble-Concrete Construction. Arch is 15 feet high. (Note old tunnel under smelter. Only 4 x 6 feet. Now tunnel is 22 x 22 feet)
		5:97: Guniting a Rubble-Concrete Wing wall-Kessler Canyon
		5:98: Gasoline driven shovel building the flood barrier, Kessler Canyon. This dike was later raised 15 feet by tower dragline
		5:99: Spillway through main barrier, Kessler Canyon. This structure is a new departure in spillway construction. It stands 80 feet high and rests upon an alluvial foundation. Huge boulders, some of which weigh two or three tons, were placed in position then grouted together. The flood stream drops over a circular crest into a stilling pool ten feet deep. A secondary crest below the stilling pool passes the stream quietly into the channel below

Miscellaneous PhotosReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 5, Folder 13

Container(s)		Description
		5:100: Erosion of foot hills near Bountiful, showing goat herd which grazes over the Bountiful Watershed. (Over and back every day)
		5:101: Near the crest of the Davis County watershed, where floods originate. (Saddle horses would sink to their fetlocks in loose soil before a flood)
		5:102: Unidentified
		5:103: Farmington Barrier
		5:104: Unidentified
		5:105: Unidentified
		5:106: Unidentified

Miscellaneous itemsReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 5, Folder 14

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		Clipping from Salt Lake Tribune Article is about L.M. Winsor. Handwritten list of construction costs at Garfield 1927.	July 1930

"Utah's Flood Problem"-Book. Report created by Winsor and submitted to Utah State Land Board in , 1933Return to Top

Container(s): Box 5, Folder 15

Book is where photos in Box 5 were taken from.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Dams--Utah--Enterprise--Photographs.
Flood control--Utah--Photographs.
Flood damage--Utah--Willard--Photographs.
Flood control--West (U.S.)--Photographs.
Flood dams and reservoirs--Utah--Photographs.
Floods--Utah--Photographs.
Floods--Utah--Willard--Photographs.
Irrigation engineering--Utah--Photographs.
Irrigation--Utah--Photographs.

Personal Names

Winsor, L. M. (Luther Martin), 1884-1968.

Geographical Names

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (Utah)--Photographs.
Enterprise (Utah)--Photographs.
Mead, Lake (Ariz. and Nev.)--Photographs.

Archives West Finding Aid

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