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Memorial Tributes Volume 21 (2017) / Chapter Skim
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THOMAS M. LEPS
Pages 210-215

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From page 210...
... Ingersoll Studio, Menlo Park, California
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From page 211...
... Hired as a park ranger for the summers of 1933–1936 at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, his duties included riding into the parks on motorcycle or horseback to ensure safety and maintain the park rules. His nephew Tim O'Leary remembers him "speaking warmly of his time working in the mountains of central California" and that "he was an avid swimmer, hiker, and outdoor enthusiast." He met his wife Catherine (Katie)
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From page 212...
... That knowledge base supported his decision to begin an independent consulting practice in the field he defined as "geo­ echnical engineer t ing as related to dams, project planning, analysis of heavy construction problems, hydro, steam, and nuclear power plants, penstocks, tunnels, canals, foundations, landslides, subsidence, and seismic problems." Over the next four decades Tom contributed to more than 100 projects in the United States, Canada, and about 15 foreign countries. His participation was multifaceted.
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From page 213...
... His contributions were always distinguished by the clarity of his engineering reasoning, his objective and impartial judgment, and his excellent and legendary English writing form. Samples of his reasoning and clear writing style are evident in a collection of more than 30 technical papers, some of which have become benchmarks on the evolution of the rockfill dam design.
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From page 214...
... Tom belonged to that special class of American engineers that, having experienced the pressure of war engineering at the start of their career, brought to their professional life the no-nonsense approach and honesty required for good engineering of large hydro projects. In addition, by his character he left an example of competent and ethical behavior that continues to inspire the engineering world in the United States, Brazil, and the many countries in which he worked.
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Key Terms

  • dam design
  • rockfill dams
  • civil engineering
  • hydro projects
  • heavy construction

  • soil mechanics
  • power utilities
  • project planning
  • denver earth
  • solid base

  • company involved
  • acmaster leps
  • foregoing experience
  • american engineers
  • legendary english

  • engineering community
  • navy civil
  • paramount projects
  • independent panel
  • hydro power

  • chief civil
  • kings canyon
  • asce proceedings
  • california aqueduct
  • engineer corps

  • earth dams
  • dam engineering
  • tehachapi mountain
  • mountain crossing
  • duties included


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