Etcheverry, Bernard A. (Bernard Alfred), 1881-1954

Bernard Alfred Etcheverry was born in San Diego, California on June 30, 1881. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1902 with a degree in civil engineering. He was an instructor of civil engineering at the University of California from 1902 to 1903 before becoming a professor of civil engineering and irrigation engineering at the University of Nevada in Reno from 1903 until 1917. In 1917 he returned to Berkeley where he worked until his retirement. Etcheverry was also a consultant for various water projects in the West and British Columbia. From 1915 to 1917 he published a three volume book: Irrigation Practice and Engineering which was to become a standard textbook in the field. On August 6, 1903, Etcheverry married Helen Hanson. They had two sons, Bernard Earle and Alfred Starr. Etcheverry died in New Haven, Connecticut on October 16, 1954.

From the description of B.A. Etcheverry water reclamation photograph collection, 1900-1925 (bulk 1908-1914). (Utah State University). WorldCat record id: 54909063

Bernard Alfred Etcheverry (1881-1954) was an instructor of civil engineering at the University of California from 1902-1903, and associate professor of irrigation engineering from 1917 until his retirement. He was also an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Nevada from 1903 to 1905, and an associate professor of irrigation engineering from 1905 to 1917. Additionally, Etcheverry was a consulting engineer for various projects in British Columbia, Washington, and California.

From the description of Bernard Alfred Etcheverry specifications, 1904-1915. (Utah State University). WorldCat record id: 71203018

Biographical Information

Bernard Alfred Etcheverry served the University of California, Riverside, continuously for forty-six years and for a total of forty-seven years. His first appointment was as Instructor in Civil Engineering, held during the academic year 1902-1903. After two years as Associate Professor of Civil Engineering and Physics at the University of Nevada, he returned to Berkeley in 1905 to serve successively as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor of Irrigation and Drainage until his retirement in 1951. Throughout that time he acted first as Chairman of the Department, later the Division of Irrigation.

Professor Etcheverry was born in San Diego, California on June 30, 1881; completed his high school work at Lycée de Bayonne, Académie de Bordeaux; and was graduated at the University of California, Riverside, in 1902 as University Medalist, with a B.S. degree in civil engineering. He was married to Helen Hanson on August 6, 1903, at Berkeley. He had two sons, Bernard Earle Etcheverry and Alfred Starr Etcheverry. He died on October 26, 1954, in New Haven, Connecticut.

Etcheverry was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Geophysical Union. At various times he served on numerous committees of the ASCE, and was President of its San Francisco Section in 1926, and a National Director of the Society during 1934-1937.

Professor Etcheverry was engineer on the construction of the Greek Theatre. During the early years of his teaching, his summers were spent on irrigation problems in western Canada and on an investigation on the use of concrete in irrigation systems. This latter work was performed in behalf of the Irrigation Investigations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In 1912 he had begun the preparation of his three-volume treatise, Irrigation Practice and Engineering. These were published during the years 1915-1917. They became, and have remained through forty years, standard treatments of the subjects covered. He thus gained recognition, both at home and abroad, as the leading author in this field. He was also author of Land Drainage and Flood Protection, first published in 1931.

Etcheverry was continuously active in professional practice. From 1912 to 1917 he made investigations for the city of San Francisco of the uses of water from the Tuolumne River. In 1915 he was a member of the Board of Review for several projects of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, passing on repayments under these projects. He was consulting engineer for the State Reclamation Board from its organization in 1913 until his death, advising the Board on the many engineering and policy matters arising out of its supervision of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Drainage District. For several years he was a member of the Board of Appraisers assessing benefits resulting from the projects of the State Reclamation Board. As the leading witness for the Board in litigation relating to those assessments, he successfully defended both the methods used (largely developed by him) and their results. In later years he served as one of the consulting appraisers for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in its acquirement of lands and water rights for the Central Valley Project.

He was a member of the consulting board which was appointed by the State Engineer to assist in the preparation of the State Water Plan adopted by the legislature in 1931, and continued to serve as a general consultant for the State Engineer on numerous special assignments. In 1945, at the time of its organization, he was appointed by Governor Warren a member of the State Water Resources Board, and was its Vice-Chairman at the time of this death.

Professor Etcheverry acted as consulting engineer for many other public and private organizations during the course of his long career. These included a report on the water needs of Kern County made for that county. He was consulting engineer for the Kern County Land Company on its plans for water development and consulting engineer for the Kern River Water Storage District. He was a member of the board to review the appraisal of the properties proposed to be acquired by the San Joaquin River Water Storage District. Other clients included the Madera Irrigation District and several of the reclamation districts in the Sacramento Valley. He was consulting engineer for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company in litigation over water rights of the Pit River, for the California-Oregon Power Company in matters involving Klamath Lake, and for the city of San Francisco in its early litigation with the Modesto and Turlock Irrigation Districts. He was an expert witness for the Lindsay-Strathmore Irrigation District in litigation over water rights on Kaweah River.

Etcheverry has long been regarded as the "Father of Irrigation Engineering."

Excerpted from In Memoriam, by S. T. Harding, F. L. Hotes, and C. G. Hyde.

From the guide to the Bernard A. Etcheverry Papers, 1903-1954, (Water Resources Collections and Archives)

Bernard Alfred Etcheverry was born in San Diego, California on June 30, 1881. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1902 with a degree in civil engineering. He was an instructor of civil engineering at the University of California from 1902 to 1903 before becoming a professor of civil engineering and irrigation engineering at the University of Nevada in Reno from 1903 until 1917. In 1917 he returned to Berkeley where he worked until his retirement. Etcheverry was, as well, a consultant for various water projects in the West and British Columbia. From 1915 to 1917 he published a three volume book, Irrigation Practice and Engineering which was to become a standard textbook in the field.

On August 6, 1903 Etcheverry married Helen Hanson. They had two sons, Bernard Earle and Alfred Starr. On October 26, 1954 Etcheverry passed away in New Haven, Connecticut.

From the guide to the B.A. Etcheverry water reclamation photograph collection, 1900-1925, 1908-1914, (Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives)

Bernard Alfred Etcheverry (1881-1954) was an instructor of civil engineering at the University of California from 1902 - 1903, and associate professor of irrigation engineering from 1917 until his retirement. He was also an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Nevada from 1903 to 1905, and an associate professor of irrigation engineering from 1905 to 1917. Additionally, Etcheverry was a consulting engineer for various projects in British Columbia, Washington, and California.

This collection of specifications and blueprints for water reclamation in the western United States was used as source material for Etcheverry's three volume book Irrigation Practice and Engineering, published by McGraw-Hill from 1915 to 1916. Photographs removed to photo collection P0104 were used to illustrate this publication.

From the guide to the Bernard Alfred Etcheverry specifications, 1904-1915, (Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives)