Parshall, Ralph L. (Ralph Leroy), 1881-1959.

Ralph Leroy Parshall, engineer, contributed significantly to the field of irrigation engineering with the development of a flow-measuring devide that became known as the Parshall flue and continues to be widely used today. Parshall served as instructor and then assistant professor at the Colorado Agricultural College between 1904 and 1913. In 1913 he was appointed assistant engineer and director of irrigation investigations with the Division of Irrigation, Soil Conservation Service U.S> Department of Agriculture then housed at the college. In 1918 he became director of the program and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1948. While Parshall's flue was his most notable work, he also investigated a number of irrigation related problems, designing and vuilding various irrigation recording instruments and meters. Parshall participated in surveys and planning for the Colorado-Big Thompson Project, and he was survey supervisor for an investigation of snow measurement methods in the 1940s.

From the description of Ralph L. Parshall Collection, 1902-1992. (Poudre River Public Library District). WorldCat record id: 61312927

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