Papers of James R. Meiman

Collection

Identifier: WJRM

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Papers of James R. Meiman consists of documents dated 1951 to 2012. The collection consists primarily of Meiman's professional work as a watershed scientist, professor, and administrator at Colorado State University. The largest amount of material concerns snow hydrology. This includes research notes and reports for studies conducted at Pingree Park on the Little South Poudre Watershed as well as reports and publications on U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) projects, including first stage contract CSU-14-06-D-5218, "Watershed Management Practices Affecting Water Supplies on Irrigation Projects" (1968), and second stage contract CSU-14-06-D-6598-5, "Management of Colorado Mountain Lands for Increasing Water Yields" (1973). Meiman's notes for the snow hydrology course he taught at CSU, WS 750 (also called WS 240, 250, and 716), are also present. This collection contains materials related to CSU's Watershed Science Department and its history. These include PowerPoint presentations, a video, and several documents that were part of the department's fiftieth anniversary celebration, as well as studies and publications by graduates of the Watershed Science program. Finally, a significant number of folders reflect Meiman's interest in interdisciplinary research and international development. These materials include both research and conference proceedings, programs and reports from the ASEAN-US Watershed Project roving lecture series, and reports on the East Anatolia Watershed Rehabilitation Project (1994-1998). Materials in this collection include course materials, correspondence, reports and publications, slides, photographs, CDs, and two 8mm video cassettes.

Dates

Creation: 1951-2012

Creator

Meiman, James R. (James Richard) (Person)

Restrictions on Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection. However, the collection is stored off-site, so advance notice is required.

Restrictions on Use

Not all of the material in the collection is in the public domain. Researchers are responsible for addressing copyright issues.

Biography

Dr. James R. (Jim) Meiman, Professor Emeritus of Earth Resources (Watershed Science) at Colorado State University (CSU), is best known for his pioneering research in watershed science and snow hydrology.

Jim Meiman was born on December 10, 1933, in Louisville, Kentucky. After growing up in Louisville, he attended the University of Kentucky, where he earned a B.S. and M.S. in Agronomy and Soil Conservation. In Kentucky, Meiman worked for the U.S. Soil Conservation Service on the Small Watershed Pilot Projects Program from 1954 until 1959, when he moved to Fort Collins, Colorado. From 1959 to 1962, Meiman pursued a Ph.D. and taught courses in watershed management at CSU. One of the program's first four Ph.D. graduates, Meiman became a Watershed Science professor at CSU after earning his degree. He spent fourteen years in the department, where he developed CSU's snow hydrology program and expanded CSU's Little South Poudre Watershed research programs.

In 1975, Meiman became the Dean of the Graduate School and Director of International Programs at CSU, focusing heavily on expanding CSU's international involvement. As a result, Meiman was hired as CSU's Associate Vice President for Research and Director of International Programs in 1981. Under his direction, CSU became a leading university in overseas technical research and assistance under USAID Title XII. Meiman retired from CSU in December 1991.

As a professor and administrator at CSU, Meiman researched snow hydrology with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) at Fraser Experimental Forest. Beginning in the mid-1980s, Meiman and Dr. Charles Lovelace, Director of the USDA Rocky Mountain Station, developed the concept and led in the early planning of the Natural Resources Research Center in Fort Collins.

Meiman continued to consult internationally after retiring from CSU. From 1992 to 1993 he served as Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director for the Consortium for International Development (CID). He was external training director for the World Bank Eastern Anatolia Watershed Project (1994 to 1998). From 1998 to 2000, Meiman developed the Middle East Watershed Monitoring Project for the USFS, and he led the USFS International Seminar in Forestry and Natural Resources from 1996 to 2001.

Meiman's professional associations are numerous and include the National Academy of Science's Ad Hoc Work Group on Snow and Ice, the American Geophysical Union's Hydrology Subcommittee on Snow and Ice, and the Western Snow Conference (General Chairman 1982 to 1984). From 1973 to 1975 he was Associate Editor of AGU's Water Resources Research. He is the author or co-author of over fifty papers, reports, and publications.

Jim Meiman married Louise Bradt in 1966. They have three children and six grandchildren.

Extent

4 linear feet (6 document boxes, 1 photo box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

James R. Meiman (b. 1933) is Professor Emeritus of Earth Resources (Watershed Science) at Colorado State University. After earning his Ph.D. in Watershed Science from CSU in 1962, Dr. Meiman led CSU's snow hydrology program and later became the Dean of the Graduate School (1975-1981) and Director of the Office of International Programs (1975-1991). Meiman also collaborated with multiple federal agencies, such as the U.S. Forest Service, on snow hydrology studies, and he developed and worked on cooperative international watershed projects in the Middle East. The collection contains course materials, reports and publications, correspondence, slides, photographs, and media related to snow hydrology, CSU's watershed science program, and international projects. A portion of the collection is digitized and online.

Arrangement

The collection has been organized in rough chronological order by subject in one series. When large amounts of documents related to one subject were donated together, the original order of the materials was maintained; miscellaneous materials were added to existing subject groupings. Media were housed in separate boxes but are listed with the projects to which they pertain.

The collection consists of 1 series in 7 boxes:

Series 1: Papers, 1951-2012

Acquisition

The Papers of James R. Meiman was acquired by the Colorado State University Libraries in five accessions between December 2010 and June 2012 from James R. Meiman.

Online Materials

Some documents and media have been scanned and digitized, by either the donor or the Water Resources Archive, and are available through the Colorado State University Libraries website. In the electronic version of this document, direct links appear in context. Note that not all links are to the exact documents in this collection, but scans from other sources.

Related Collections

Related collections in the Water Resources Archive include the papers of Maurice L. Albertson, Everett V. Richardson, and Daryl B. Simons. Through the Office of International Programs, Meiman coordinated all of CSU's international projects and worked closely with Albertson, Richardson, and Simons. The University Archives contains the records of the Graduate School and the Office of International Programs, which include materials generated during Meiman's time as director of these offices.

Processing

Processing was completed in June 2012. Materials were placed in acid-free folders and archival boxes. Duplicate copies and confidential materials were returned to donor. Papers were removed from binders and envelopes. The majority of paper clips and metal fasteners were removed and replaced with plastic clips as needed; rubber bands were removed. Photographs and slides were re-sleeved and moved to a photo album box. CDs were placed in protectors and housed together in their own box with two 8mm video cassettes. Digital files were backed up on a server.

Inventory Note

Note: Title information supplied by the archivist is bracketed. Estimated pagination is preceded by an "e." Two identical copies of the same item are indicated by the phrase "2 copies" at the end of the entry, following the number of pages of each copy. Authored articles, books, and studies are listed in bibliographic form.