Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140

RS 9/7/15
Howard P. Johnson (1923-    )
Papers, 1942-2005, undated


Descriptive summary

creator:

Johnson, Howard P. (1923-    )

title:

Papers

dates:

1942-2005, undated

extent:

6.36 linear feet (8 document boxes, 1 oversized box, 1 tube, and 1 map case folder)

collection number:

RS 9/7/15

repository:

University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

 

Administrative information

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Howard P. Johnson Papers, RS 9/7/15, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Biographical note

Howard Paul Johnson was born to Gust and Ruth Johnson on January 27, 1923, in Odebolt, Iowa. Dr. Johnson received his B.S. (1949) and M.S. (1950) in agricultural engineering and Ph.D. (1959) in agricultural and civil engineering from Iowa State University. He also earned an M.S. (1954) in engineering mechanics from the University of Iowa. In 1942, Johnson was inducted into the U.S. Army and served in the 69th Infantry Division. His unit served in the European theater from January 1945 until the end of the war.

During his graduate studies, Dr. Johnson worked at Iowa State as a part-time Lab Instructor (1949-1950), Research Associate (1950-1953), and Instructor (1954-1959) in the Department of Agricultural (and Biosystems) Engineering. Upon completion of his Ph.D., he joined the faculty of Iowa State as an Assistant Professor (1959) in the same department. He was promoted to Associate Professor (1960-1962) and Professor (1960-1988) and also served as Department Head (1981-1988). He retired in 1988.

Dr. Johnson's main research and teaching interests were on the impact agricultural practices had on land and water resources. He authored or co-authored over 100 published articles on hydrology, hydraulics, drainage, watershed management, and related topics. He also wrote Agricultural Engineering Century: Iowa State University (call no. S678.53.U6 J64x 2005), a history of the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University.

He was a member of several scientific and professional societies and the recipient of numerous awards. Dr. Johnson was elected fellow of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He received several awards from ASAE including the Hancor Soil and Water Engineering Award (1978) and the John Deere Gold Medal (1994). Iowa State named him an Anson Marston Distinguished Professor of Engineering in 1986. Dr. Johnson also served on numerous college and departmental committees while at Iowa State including the University Water Resources Committee, the Iowa State Water Resources Research Institute Council, and the ISU Press text review committee.

Howard Johnson married Patricia Larsen of Ames and together they had three children: Cynthia, Lynette, and Malcolm. As of 2006, the Johnsons reside in Ames, Iowa.

 

Collection description

This collection (1952-2005, undated) contains materials related to Johnson's professional career in the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department at Iowa State University as well as his time spent serving in World War II. The collection includes biographical information, correspondence, and published research articles. In addition, the papers also include a map of the Boyer River in western Iowa. The collection also contains correspondence and administrative material related to the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department. The World War II materials include nearly 400 letters between Johnson and his family. In addition, other war-related materials were also included such as wartime ephemera, publications and reminiscences.

 

Organization

The collection is organized into two series:

 

Description of series

Series 1 Iowa State University records 1952-2005, undated
extent: 2.1 linear feet (5 document boxes)
description: This series includes materials from Johnson’s professional career in the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department at Iowa State University. It contains published research articles, meeting notes, correspondence, reports, and other documents. The correspondence and administrative material is related to the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Biographical information: Award recognitions

1953-1985

1

2

Biographical information: Graduate program correspondence and forms

1955-1959

1

3

Biographical information: News clippings

1960-1988, undated

1

4

Biographical information: Vita

1999 circa

1

5

Article: "Anaerobic Digestion of Hog Wastes"

1963

1

6

Article: "Applying Erosion Control Principles"

1963

1

7

Article: "Atrazine, Propachlor, and Diazinon Residues on Small Agricultural Watersheds: Runoff Losses, Persistence, and Movement"

1974

1

8

Article: "'Beat' the Wind when You Spray"

1962

1

9

Article: "Diffusion of Atrazine, Propachlor, and Diazinon in a Silt Loam Soil"

1973

1

10

Article: "Drainage Needs and Returns in North Central Iowa"

1981 circa

1

11

Article: "The Effect of Man on Water Yield, Peak Runoff and Sedimentation"

1969

1

12

Article: "Effect of Tile Spacing on Crop Yield and Water Table Level in Planosol Soil"

1957

1

13

Article: "The Effect of Tillage Systems on Pesticides in Runoff from Small Watersheds"

1979

1

14

Article: "Effect of Tillage Systems on Runoff Losses of Nutrients, a Rainfall Simulation Study"

1978

1

15

Article: "Effect of Tillage Systems on Runoff Losses of Pesticides, a Rainfall Simulation Study"

1978

1

16

Article: "The Falling Water Table Between Open Ditch Drains"

1964

1

17

Article: "Factors in Gully Growth in the Deep Loess Area of Western Iowa"

1963

1

18

Article: "Field Evaluation of Flow Through Blind Inlets"

1962

1

19

Article: "Glass Bead-Glycerol Model for Studying Falling Water Table Between Open Ditch Drains"

1963

1

20

Article: "Hydraulic Characteristics of Aquifers of the Missouri River Floodplain Near Hornick, Iowa"

1963

1

21

Article: "Hydraulic Model of Runoff from Depressional Areas. Part II. Development of the Model"

1968

1

22

Article: "Hydraulic Roughness in Drain Tile"

undated

1

23

Article: "Hydrologic and Watershed Modeling – A Summary"

1973

1

24

Article: "Hydrologic Simulation of Watersheds with Artificial Drainage"

1975

1

25

Article: "Impact of Subsurface Drainage on Water Quality"

undated

1

26

Article: "Infiltration Capacities of Fayette Silt Loam from Analysis of Hydrologic Data"

1960

1

27

Article: "Infiltration Frequency on Ralston Creek Watershed"

1956

1

28

Article: "Leakage from Small Reservoirs as Affected by Polyphosphate and Bentonite Treatment"

1962

1

29

Article: "Mathematical Model for Gully Erosion"

1977

1

30

Article: "Mathematical Modeling of Drainage Watersheds"

1974

1

31

Article: "Meter for Measuring Flow Discharge from Pipes"

1964

1

32

Article: "Methodology of Programming Small Watershed Development"

1961

1

33

Article: "Modeling Evapotranspiration and Soil Moisture"

1974

1

34

Article: "Nitrate Movement with Zero-order Denitrification in a Soil Profile"

1980

1

35

Article: "Nonsteady Flow to Nonpenetrating Well"

1979

1

36

Article: "Pollution by Sediment: Sources and the Detachment and Transport Processes"

undated

1

37

Article: "Properties and Pumping Characteristics of Hog Wastes"

1964

1

38

Article: "Runoff Prediction from Point Rainfall Data by Application of the Digital Computer"

1964

1

39

Article: "A Runoff Sampler for Large Watersheds. Part II. Design of Field Installation"

1956

1

40

Article: "Selected Intense Storms in the Little Sioux River Watersheds"

1959

1

41

Article: "Simplified Procedure for the Measurement and Computation of Soil Permeability Below the Water Table"

1952

1

42

Article: "A Simulation Model of Leaching of Nitrogenous Fertilizers in a Tile-Drained Agricultural Field"

1981

1

43

Article: "Simulation of Runoff from Depression Characterized Watersheds"

1971

1

44

Article: "Soil and Water Loss from Conservation Tillage Systems"

1978

1

45

Article: "Soil Loss from Tile-Outlet Terraces"

1972

1

46

Article: "Stream Straightening Effect on Flood-Runoff Characteristics"

1972

1

47

Article: "Surface Water Quality"

1973

1

48

Article: "Tile Drainage Experimentation on Webster Soils: Results of Years 1954-1963"

1966

1

49

Article: "Tillage System Effects on Sediment and Nutrients in Runoff from Small Watersheds"

1979

1

50

Article: "Transport of Nitrate and Gaseous Denitrification in Soil Columns During Leaching"

1982

1

51

Article: "Unit Hydrograph Methods Compared"

1964

1

52

Article: "Unsteady-State Drainage of Fluid from a Vertical Column of Porous Material"

1962

1

53

Article: "Washoff of Herbicides Applied to Corn Residue"

1978

1

54

Article: "A Water-Balance Model for Deep Loess Soils"

1978

1

55

Article: "What Can You Do about a Wet Basement?"

1963

1

56

Article: "What Can You Expect from Irrigation?"

1960

1

57

College of Agriculture: Cabinet meeting notes

1981-1983

1

58

College of Agriculture: Cabinet meeting notes

1983-1985

2

1

College of Agriculture: Cabinet meeting notes

1985-1987

2

2

College of Agriculture: Cabinet meeting notes

1987-1988

2

3

Correspondence and materials related to Agricultural Engineering Century: Iowa State University

1993-2005

2

4

Correspondence: Awards Committee and letters of recommendation

1969-1994

2

5

Correspondence: Departmental letters and memos

1961-1984

2

6

Correspondence: Departmental letters and memos

1985-1988

2

7

Correspondence: Departmental status, salaries, budget, and plans

1987-1988

2

8

Correspondence: Employment and patent opportunities (1- 4x5 b/w photograph)

1955-1966

2

9

Correspondence: Faculty evaluations

1974-1987

3

1-2

Correspondence: Letters of recommendation

1985-2003

3

3

Departmental concerns: Davidson Hall renovation (floor plans for remodeling of graduate student offices, room 131, in map case)

1983-1986

3

4

Departmental concerns: Departmental evaluations and reports

1985-1988

3

5

Departmental concerns: Facilities correspondence and Space Committee meeting minutes

1981-1988

3

6

Departmental concerns: Long range planning reports and correspondence

1968-1988

3

7

Departmental concerns: Meeting notes

1981-1983

3

8

Departmental concerns: Meeting notes

1983-1985

4

1

Departmental concerns: Meeting notes

1985-1987

4

2

Departmental concerns: Meeting notes

1987-1988

4

3

Departmental concerns: Mission statement, budget, and accreditation report

1987

4

4

Departmental concerns: Reports

1986-1988, undated

4

5

Departmental concerns: Salary comparison information

1976-1984

4

6

Departmental concerns: Salary information for College of Agriculture and College of Engineering

1985-1986

4

7

Departmental concerns: Salary information for the Ohio State University

1980-1986

4

8

Departmental concerns: Summaries of departmental productivity (publications, degrees conferred, and research grants)

1986-1989

tube

71

Map: Boyer River (rolled)

undated

4

9

Professional consulting: Expert witness testimonials and statements

1976

4

10

Professional consulting: Report to City of Ames, "Stage-Discharge Relationships at Sheldon Avenue, Ames, Iowa for Storms on College Creek Watershed" (2 six-hour storm hydrographs located in map case)

1960

4

11

Report: "Computer Simulation of Soil Erosion Effects on Topography"

undated

4

12

Report: "Development and Testing of Mathematical Models as Management Tools for Agricultural Non-Point Pollution Control," EPA contract no. R-804102, annual report

1976-1977

5

1

Report: "Development and Testing of Mathematical Models as Management Tools for Agricultural Non-Point Pollution Control," EPA contract no. R-804102, annual report

1977-1978

5

2

Report: "Effect of Agricultural Land Use Practices on Stream Water Quality. I. Field-to-Stream Processes," EPA contract no. CR806603, annual report

1979

5

3

Report: "Efficient Use of Water for Irrigation in the Upper Midwest," Iowa State Water Resources Research Institute technical completion report 117 (reprint)

1983

5

4

Report: "Movement of Herbicides in Soil by Mass Flow," Iowa State Water Resources Research Institute completion report 66

1975

5

5

Report: "Nitrate Movement and Denitrification Defined Relative to Bromide Tracer in Tile-Drained Land," Iowa State Water Resources Research Institute completion report 115

1982

5

6

Report: Ames Reservoir Environmental Study, Appendix 4: Physical Relationships with the Agricultural Sector. Chapter 2: Water Quality Implications of Cropland Nutrients

1973

5

7

Report: "Hydrologic Simulation of Depressional Watersheds," Iowa State Water Resources Research Institute completion report 48

1972

5

8

Correspondence: Alumni

1984-1985

 

Description of series

Series 2 World War II letters and ephemera 1942-2003, undated
extent: 2.26 linear feet (3 document boxes, 1 oversized box)
description: This series includes information from Johnson’s time spent serving in World War II. It contains nearly 400 letters exchanged between Johnson and his family and also includes other wartime ephemera and later reminiscences. Some of the letters were dated with the incorrect year and when possible these were identified and labeled correctly on the folder. The letters are in chronological order while the ephemera and reminiscences are listed alphabetically.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

6

1-146

Letters

1943

7

1-134

Letters

1943-1945

8

1-90

Letters

1945-1946

8

91

Cards and postcards

circa 1943

8

92

Church service programs

1944, undated

8

93

Daily devotional

1943

8

94

Ephemera

circa 1945

9

 

Leather folio containing maps and notepads

circa 1945

8

95

Military documents (1 b/w photograph)

1942-1944

8

96

News articles of the 69th Division

1945, undated

8

97

Newsletters

1945, undated

8

98

Ration books

undated

8

99

Writings: Chronology of 69th Infantry Divisions Travels

undated

8

100

Writings: Diary -- The Road Back

undated

8

101

Writings: Reminiscences and poems by Johnson

1995-2003, undated