Israelsen, Orson Winso, 1887-1968

Teacher, scientist, private consultant and engineer in the field of irrigation and drainage science. Taught at Utah State University (Logan, Utah).

Irrigation engineer and drainage specialist. Orson Winso Israelsen was born December 25, 1887 in Hyrum, Utah. Israelsen graduated from the Brigham Young College in Logan, Utah in 1910. He went on to the Agricultural College of Utah (now Utah State University), to study irrigation and drainage engineering. After graduation he enrolled in the College of Engineering at the University of California, Berkley in 1912, and two years later was awarded a M.A. in Irrigation and Drainage Engineering. Israelsen then returned to teach at the Agricultural College of Utah. In 1925 he was awarded a Ph.D. in Irrigation and Drainage Engineering. During the course of Israelsen's career he was highly involved with the Utah Agricultural College's agricultural experiment stations and participated in numerous research projects in Utah, the American West, Canada, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, India, and South America. Israelsen was the author of hundreds of published works and his 1932 book, Irrigation Principles and Practices, was the classic treatise on the subject with a dozen foreign language translations. Israelsen retired from Utah State University in 1954. He died on May 15, 1968.

Israelsen was a consulting engineer for various water projects in Utah.

Orson Winso Israelsen was born December 25, 1887 in Hyrum, Utah Territory. During Israelsen's youth he worked on the family farm and attended the local schools in the area. He enrolled in the Brigham Young College in Logan, Utah in 1906 and graduated in 1910. In 1910 he enrolled in the Agricultural College of Utah (now Utah State University) to study irrigation and drainage engineering and graduated in 1912 with a B.S. In 1912 he enrolled in the College of Engineering at the University of California, Berkley. Two years later he was awarded a M.A in Irrigation and Drainage Engineering. In 1925 he was awarded a Ph.D. in Irrigation and Drainage Engineering from the University of California.

In 1914 Israelsen was offered a teaching position at the Agricultural College of Utah (UCA), where he taught until his retirement in 1954. During the course of Israelsen's career he was highly involved with the UAC's Agricultural Experiment Stations and was involved in numerous research projects in Utah, the West, Canada, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, India, and South America. Israelsen was the author of hundreds of published works and his 1932 work Irrigation Principles and Practices has become the classic treatise on the subject with a dozen foreign language translations.

About the irrigation field Israelsen explained that "Irrigation is not a sensational science. Its experts don't come up with atom bombs. But through slow step-by-step processes, great men learn to understand basic principles which will make poor land productive and keep rich land rich. Mathematics, chemistry, physics, and hydraulics applied are but a few of the sciences which must be intelligently applied in good irrigation. It is not enough just to ‘wet the land.'"( Forty Years of Sound and Forty Years of Silence, p 129)

In 1928 Israelsen became ill with spinal meningitis which left him completely deaf for the remainder of his life. His consequent reliance upon the written word for communication lends a special value to his work and professional papers. Of necessity, his papers are complete to a degree matched by few other collections of personal and professional papers.

Israelsen died May 15, 1968 in Logan, Utah.

For a detailed account of his personal and professional life researchers should see Israelsen's autobiography Forty Years of Sound and Forty Years of Silence, published in 1968. See Merrill-Cazier Library call # HV2534.I8 A3 or Special Collections call # 920 Is7.

Orson Winso Israelsen was born December 25, 1887 in Hyrum, Utah. During Israelsen's youth he worked on the family farm and attended the local schools in the area. He enrolled in the Brigham Young College in Logan, Utah in 1906 and graduated in 1910. In 1910 he enrolled in the Agricultural College of Utah (now Utah State University) to study irrigation and drainage engineering. After graduation he enrolled in the College of Engineering at the University of California, Berkley in 1912. Two years later he was awarded a M.A. in Irrigation and Drainage Engineering and he began teaching at the Agricultural College of Utah. In 1925 he was awarded a Ph.D. in Irrigation and Drainage Engineering. Israelsen retired from USU in 1954. He died on May 15, 1968 in Logan, Utah.

During the course of Israelsen's career he was highly involved with the UAC?s agricultural experiment stations and was involved in numerous research projects in Utah, the American West, Canada, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, India, and South America. Israelsen was the author of hundreds of published works and his 1932 book, Irrigation Principles and Practices has become the classic treatise on the subject with a dozen foreign language translations.

For a detailed account of his personal and professional life researchers should see Israelsen's autobiography, Forty Years of Sound and Forty Years of Silence, published in 1968. See Merrill-Cazier Library (HV2534.I8 A3) or Special Collections (920 Is7).