Harvey Oren Banks
Encyclopedia
Harvey Oren Banks was an American
civil engineer
who was appointed State Engineer of California in 1955 and the first Director of the California Department of Water Resources
(DWR) in 1956. Under his direction, DWR completed its first California Water Plan and initiated the first stage of planning of the California State Water Project
(SWP). It was under his term as Director that the California Legislature adopted the Burns-Porter Act authorizing the construction of the SWP in 1959. In 1961 voters approved massive bonds to pay for the construction of the SWP. Banks left the public sector that same year to return to the private sector, where he worked as a consulting engineer until his death in 1996. Banks' papers (1940-1995) are held at the Water Resources Center Archives
, University of California, Berkeley.
in 1930. He taught mathematics at Stanford University
where he also earned a Masters of Science in hydraulic and sanitary engineering (two civil engineering specializations) in 1933. He then worked for the City of Palo Alto, California
for two years before joining the US Soil Conservation Service in 1935.
Banks joined the State of California's Division of Water Resources in 1938, but left the public engineering sector in 1942 to serve in the military through the duration of World War II
in the US Army Corps of Engineers, with the 382 Combat Engineers. Following the war he joined a private engineering consulting firm.
Banks primary job as the State Engineer was to promote the authorization and construction of a water supply project that would transfer water from the northern part of California hundreds of miles to then quickly growing Southern California. As a strong advocate of the Burns-Porter Act of 1956, Banks was named the first Director of the newly created California Department of Water Resources
. Banks and California Governor Pat Brown
campaigned heavily for the next several years for the public approval of the California Water Resources Development Bond Act of 1960. The $1.75 billion bond measure provided the state the resources needed to build the reservoirs, pumping stations, and aqueducts that formed the California State Water Project
.
The original SWP design plans did not call for the creation of a large off-stream storage reservoir along the California Aqueduct, however, Banks and others advocated that the original design be altered. Their design called for the creation of a large multi-use facility near Los Banos, California
that could also tie into the US Federal Government's pre-existing Central Valley Project
. This combined facility, later named San Luis Reservoir
, would offer both projects flexibility. San Luis Reservoir was instrumental in enabling the complex water marketing that characterizes today's water management in California.
in 1964, and joined the University of Washington
faculty in 1965. He frequently served as an expert witness in US and state courts on various water resources management and water law cases, and also was a member of many water related committees for organizations including the World Bank
, United Nations
, and the US Agency for International Development.
Banks continued to work as a consulting engineer until his death from leukemia in 1996.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
who was appointed State Engineer of California in 1955 and the first Director of the California Department of Water Resources
California Department of Water Resources
The California Department of Water Resources , is a department within the California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Water Resources is responsible for the State of California's management and regulation of water usage...
(DWR) in 1956. Under his direction, DWR completed its first California Water Plan and initiated the first stage of planning of the California State Water Project
California State Water Project
The California State Water Project, commonly known as the SWP , is the world's largest publicly built and operated water and power development and conveyance system. The SWP was designed and is operated by the California Department of Water Resources...
(SWP). It was under his term as Director that the California Legislature adopted the Burns-Porter Act authorizing the construction of the SWP in 1959. In 1961 voters approved massive bonds to pay for the construction of the SWP. Banks left the public sector that same year to return to the private sector, where he worked as a consulting engineer until his death in 1996. Banks' papers (1940-1995) are held at the Water Resources Center Archives
Water Resources Center Archives
The Water Resources Center Archives on the UC Berkeley campus is a multi-campus research unit administered by Agriculture and Natural Resources , a division of the University of California Office of the President...
, University of California, Berkeley.
Early career
Banks was a Magna Cum Laude civil engineering graduate of Syracuse UniversitySyracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
in 1930. He taught mathematics at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
where he also earned a Masters of Science in hydraulic and sanitary engineering (two civil engineering specializations) in 1933. He then worked for the City of Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
for two years before joining the US Soil Conservation Service in 1935.
Banks joined the State of California's Division of Water Resources in 1938, but left the public engineering sector in 1942 to serve in the military through the duration of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the US Army Corps of Engineers, with the 382 Combat Engineers. Following the war he joined a private engineering consulting firm.
DWR years
In 1950 Banks returned to state service working in the Division of Water Resources newly formed Water Quality Program. In 1953 he was appointed Assistant State Engineer and was responsible for administrating water rights and water quality activities. He was promoted to the office of State Engineer in 1955 when he predecessor, Arthur D. Edmonston, retired.Banks primary job as the State Engineer was to promote the authorization and construction of a water supply project that would transfer water from the northern part of California hundreds of miles to then quickly growing Southern California. As a strong advocate of the Burns-Porter Act of 1956, Banks was named the first Director of the newly created California Department of Water Resources
California Department of Water Resources
The California Department of Water Resources , is a department within the California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Water Resources is responsible for the State of California's management and regulation of water usage...
. Banks and California Governor Pat Brown
Pat Brown
Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown, Sr. was the 32nd Governor of California, serving from 1959 to 1967, and the father of current Governor of California Jerry Brown.-Background:...
campaigned heavily for the next several years for the public approval of the California Water Resources Development Bond Act of 1960. The $1.75 billion bond measure provided the state the resources needed to build the reservoirs, pumping stations, and aqueducts that formed the California State Water Project
California State Water Project
The California State Water Project, commonly known as the SWP , is the world's largest publicly built and operated water and power development and conveyance system. The SWP was designed and is operated by the California Department of Water Resources...
.
The original SWP design plans did not call for the creation of a large off-stream storage reservoir along the California Aqueduct, however, Banks and others advocated that the original design be altered. Their design called for the creation of a large multi-use facility near Los Banos, California
Los Banos, California
Los Banos is a city in Merced County, California, near the junction of State Route 152 and Interstate 5. Los Banos is located southwest of Merced, at an elevation of 118 feet . The population was 35,972 at the 2010 census, up from 25,869 at the 2000 census...
that could also tie into the US Federal Government's pre-existing Central Valley Project
Central Valley Project
The Central Valley Project is a Bureau of Reclamation federal water project in the U.S. state of California. It was devised in 1933 in order to provide irrigation and municipal water to much of California's Central Valley—by regulating and storing water in reservoirs in the water-rich northern...
. This combined facility, later named San Luis Reservoir
San Luis Reservoir
The San Luis Reservoir is an off-stream artificial lake in the eastern slopes of the Diablo Range of Merced County, California, approximately west of Los Banos on State Route 152, which crosses Pacheco Pass and runs along its north shore. The reservoir stores water taken from the San...
, would offer both projects flexibility. San Luis Reservoir was instrumental in enabling the complex water marketing that characterizes today's water management in California.
Late career
In 1961, Banks left the Department of Water Resources, and returned to both the private sector as a consulting engineer and to school in order to pursue a Ph.D. He received his Ph.D. in agricultural economics from the University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1964, and joined the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
faculty in 1965. He frequently served as an expert witness in US and state courts on various water resources management and water law cases, and also was a member of many water related committees for organizations including the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, and the US Agency for International Development.
Banks continued to work as a consulting engineer until his death from leukemia in 1996.
Honors
- Elected Member of the National Academy of EngineeringNational Academy of EngineeringThe National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
, 1973. - The California State Water Project pumping plantBanks Pumping PlantThe Harvey O. Banks Pumping Plant is located 2.5 miles southwest of the Clifton Court Forebay and 11.5 miles northeast of Livermore, CA. The plant is the first pumping plant for the California Aqueduct and the South Bay Aqueduct...
at the head of the California AqueductCalifornia AqueductThe Governor Edmund G. Brown California Aqueduct is a system of canals, tunnels, and pipelines that conveys water collected from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and valleys of Northern- and Central California to Southern California. The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the...
near Tracy, CaliforniaTracy, CaliforniaTracy is the second most populated city in San Joaquin County, California, United States and an exurb of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 82,922 at the 2010 census.-History:...
was renamed in honor of Banks on June 2, 1981.