The purpose of this study will be to examine, once again, and chapter by chapter, those chief areas of controversy in Sevier's life, and in the process to arrive at some conclusions as to where the criticism is justified and, just as importantly, where the critics may have overstepped their bounds. For the sake of completeness and historical perspective, this re-examination will also include brief chapters on Sevier's ancestry and early life and his last years in the United States House of Representatives.

This work addresses management of the scarce water resource for irrigation in arid regions where significant delays between the time of order and the time of delivery present major difficulties. Motivated by improvements to water management that will be facilitated by an ability to predict water demand, this work employs a data-driven approach to developing canal flow prediction models using the Relevance Vector Machine (RVM), a probabilistic kernel-based learning machine. Beyond the RVM learning process, which establishes the set of relevant vectors from the training data, a search is performed across model attributes including input set, kernel scale parameter, and model update scheme for models providing superior prediction capability. Models are developed for two canals in the Sevier River Basin of southern Utah for prediction horizons of up to five days. Appendices provide the RVM derivation in detail.

This dissertation contains two studies that investigate the Mesozoic and Cenozoic tectonics of the western USA. The first study investigates shortening in the Sevier thrust belt of northeast Utah and southwest Wyoming. Cross section restoration suggests that there was ∼8-14 km of pre-Absaroka-thrust shortening above the Jurassic Preuss salt detachment (PSD), but not below it, in the hanging wall of the Absaroka thrust. Reflection seismic data show that the Crawford thrust is not offset along the PSD, indicating that the additional shortening on the Absaroka plate was transferred east before main movement on the Crawford thrust. Integration of surface and subsurface geology suggests slip from the Willard or Lost Creek thrust was transferred several tens of kilometers east along the PSD between ∼102-90 Ma.The second study investigates the low-temperature thermochronology of the Laramide Ranges. We dated 91 borehole and surface samples from basement-cored uplifts of the Rocky Mountain foreland (Wind River, Beartooth, Bighorn and Laramie Ranges), and the Uncompahgre Uplift, using the apatite (U-Th)/He system. (U-Th)/He ages generally increase with increasing elevation. Most samples show age dispersion of tens to hundreds of Myr. Several samples show correlations between (U-Th)/He age and effective U concentration (eU = [U] + 0.235[Th]), indicating that radiation damage has affected (U-Th)/He age. Many surface and near-surface samples have (U-Th)/He ages that are older than apatite fission-track ages.Forward and inverse modeling using a radiation damage diffusion model showed that (U-Th)/He ages may be widely dispersed, and may be older than apatite fission-track ages within a fossil partial retention zone. Most samples, however, do not exhibit the predicted (U-Th)/He age-eU correlation. We show that the effects of grain size can obscure (U-Th)/He age-eU correlations. Best-fit thermal histories from the inversion of age-eU pairs were extrapolated to other elevations to create model age-elevation plots. "Too-old" (U-Th)/He ages that are not within a fossil partial retention zone are likely due to He implantation from high-eU phases. Inverse modeling of (U-Th)/He age data suggests that rapid exhumation within the Laramide province began earlier in the Bighorn Mountains (before ∼71 Ma) than the Beartooth Range (before ∼58 Ma).

Fish culture for both food and sport utilization has been greatly increasing throughout the world. The editor of Fish Farming Industries (1973) predicted an increase by 1977 in the United States of 83% for catfish producers, 49% for trout farmers, and 91% for bait dealers. Concomitant with the renewed interest in fish culture has been a corresponding need to further understand fish diseases.

The economic well-being of the semi-arid intermountain area requires efficient use of available water supplies. Agriculture, the major water-consuming industry, depends on irrigation water. The adoption of sprinkler systems that increase irrigation "efficiencies" and increase water available for irrigation upstream may interfere with the "tenure" of downstream water rights. The farmers would like to use the water saved to irrigate additional acreages or crop to provide greater profits. The problem in letting farmers expand their irrigated acreage is that the individual farmer increases his profits through increased consumptive use. The consequent reduction in return flows reduces the water available to the downstream irrigators and violates their proper rights. Water rights administrators have a responsibility to both groups. They need to protect downstream water rights. In doing so, the policies should not deny those who install new sprinkler systems the right to any water they really save from wasteful consumptive use (e.g., by weeds or evaporation). A linear programing model was developed to determine to evaluate the effect of changes in irrigation technology on consumptive use and return flows for downstream users within the Sevier River Basin. The model was constructed in two sectors. The agriculture sector incorporated field slopes and soil types as represented by land classifications, consumptive use for nine crops, four on-farm irrigation systems: flood and sprinkler irrigation systems with lined and unlined ditches. The hydrological flow integrated the return flows, outflows of one county with the inflows in the next downstream county. The water available within the county plus the inflow determine the water available for diversion. In addition, water diversions and available irrigated acreages were constrained to the limits imposed by the State Engineer's Office as a means of protecting property rights. Modern systems would be adopted with the present acreage and diversion restrictions. Basin output would increase; however, downstream water rights 1vill not be met. With the relaxation of acreage limitations, basin output again increases. Maximization from a basinwide output indicates that society will gain by the adoption of new irrigation systems. Again, water rights as presently held would not be met. The Federal and State costs sharing program could also aggravate the water rights problem if not properly handled. Thereby by facilitating the transfer of water rights society stands to gain. Where the private incentive may differ from the basin's optimum, the study also provides sprinkler acreage limitations and recommendations which will allow the basin to achieve the optimum output. Should the acreages be less than a basin optimum, subsidy programs would encourage the farmers to move to the optimum.

The measurement of animal populations is a most important phase of wildlife management. The initiation of systematic management of any unit of specific game habitat usually involves the measurement of the stock on hand as a primary step. In practice game inventory performs a twofold function; namely, as a medium determining the efficacy of past managment practices as a basis for future manipulations and as an aid in the establishment of game protective or removal policies. A census, in the sense applied in this study, is best defined as the enumeration of a population on a given area at a given time. Varied methods and proceducres have been developed and applied in this and other countries as aids in the determination of actual and relative pheasant numbers. No one method yet devised may be considered of adequate flexibility to confrom to all variances in habitat inherent in the range of bionomical relationships tolerated by the ringnecked pheasant. Geographical location, meterological factors, agricultural practices, and topographical features are gross causations requiring institutive investigations of a basic character as a requisite to accurate determination of population numbers on any specific area. Investigators are cognizant of the necessity for adapting techniques to the variations in pheasant habitat appropriate for different locales: the roadside count as applied in Ohio was not considered to be the best method in Oregon and the quadrat census as applied in Oregon was not considered to be the best in Ohio. In addition to the limitations imposed by the major causation factors are other less general considerations; i.e., the specificity of data required and the economical expenditure of time and personnel. With but two exceptions-California valley quail, (Lephortyx californica), and Gambel's quail, (Lephortyx gambeli),-the ringnecked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus tercustus Onelin) is the sole upland game bird present in Utah in sufficient numbers to be legally hunted. The sporting qualities attributed to the pheasant and its adaptability to agrarian habitat have resulted in the expenditure of thousands of dollars by state authorities and private individuals to produce breeding and hunting stock. Management, however, has not kept pace with production. Laxity is notably evident in the development and application of sound inventory methods based on a program of fundamental, objective research. The determination of the effect of climatological factors on observed bird populations has too often been based upon casual and infrequent observations without support of quantitative evidence. A similar condition exists in other ecological relatinoships: i.e., interaction between agricultural practices, climatic conditions, and nesting period and the effect of minor climatic aberrations upon observed pheasant numbers tabulated during census counts. The wildlife technician recognizes the presence of such biotic influences but often because of duties of a broader nature the intesive investigation that is required in a basic research study is denied him. In order to formulate improved census techniques for the pheasants in Utah, the Utah Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit has felt the need for intesive study whereby graphical and statistical analysis of the concomitant variables inherent in present inventory techniques would provide basic information and a foundation for improvement of existing pheasant census methods.

The major purpose of this study is to present selected empirical results of a study employing decision-making theory as a framework for considering decision making under risk. The part icular problem involves choices between alternative crop rotations for Sevier County farmers. The study demonstrates the usefulness of the Bayesian theory that gives more than a point estimation. A multiple regression mod e l using two linear terms was employed to determine the influence of s now pack and reservoir storage on water availability for irrigation purposes during July, August , and September. The Bayesian approach was employed. The optima l action or decision was first determined where only the knowledge of the~ priori probabiities of the states of nature was available. Optimal strategies were then determined where run-off observation was available and the~ poster iori probabilities of the states of nature were determined. Study results indicate that the expected va lue of the additional information is substantial and come out very close to the expected value of a perfect predictor and higher than the expected value of t he "no data" problems . It means that the Bayesian approach gives more than a point estimation a nd is us eful for farm management decision making under risk.

A survey of the mineral resources, the economic rock products, and the ground-water reserves of that part of central Utah drained by the Sevier River system was undertaken by the author in the fall of 1960 as a continuation of a research project directed toward the stiumulation of economic growth in the state of Utah. The project was initiated in 1959 by Dr. Donald R. Olsen and Dr. J. Stewart Williams, who conducted a similar survey of a five county area in southwestern Utah (Olsen and Williams, 1960). Through a review of existing literature, preliminary field examination of most of the important areas, and communications with owners, operators, and consulting geologists, an attempt has been made to include in this survey all of the important economic mineral and rock deposits. A review of the ground-water supplies of the region and a discussion of related problems are also included. Each of the minerals and rock products is described alphabetically in a brief statement. This statement includes information concerning location, present status, present ownership, and geologic controls of accumulation. Where possible an estimate of the economic potential of each commodity is made. These estimates are based on accessibility, tonnage, grade, market value, etc. Each occurrence is also located on a map of the area.

Economic efficiency criteria are used to optimally allocate irrigation water in a closed river basin (Sevier River). The Basin is geographically divided into four subbasins. Liner programming model were developed for each of the four areas and used to generate value of marginal product schedules by parametric variation of water during the late irrigation season (after July 1). Differences in value of marginal product for average annual water deliveries were indications of a malallocation of late season water. A reallocation involving 28 percent of the restraining input (water) would increase net farm incomes (returns to capital, labor, and management) an estimated 10 percent. All water diverted to cropland, however, is not used consumptively by crops, but finds its way back to the river bia return flows and is available for rediversion downstream. Total consumptive use is a function of the number of times return flow from an initial acre foot of diversion can be rediverted. This assumes, a priori, an allocation should be based on a net stream depletion concept where consumptive use values for water are used. To accomplish this requires an economic-cum-hydrologic model which takes into account the physical response by crops to different amounts of water application and consumptive use plus the timing and amounts of water available during the hydrologic cycle. Conservation practices that increase farm efficiency--increase the amount of consumptive use from a given diversion or water right--will reduce return flows and affect the "tenure" and "security" of downstream water rights. The results of this study conclude that an allocation based on consumptive use water values rather than value of marginal products for river diversions is superior. Likewise , values based on consumptive use provided a more logical comparison of water values in its many uses.

The Marble Springs homestead in south Knox County serves as a significant heritage site for the state of Tennessee because it was the final home of one of our nation’s most important founding statesmen and first governor of Tennessee (1796 to 1801, 1803 to 1809), John Sevier. Recent archaeological and historical research had called into question the authenticity of the original John Sevier log cabin located at the Marble Springs homestead. We used tree-ring dating to determine the year(s) of construction of the Governor John Sevier cabin and the adjacent Walker Springs log cabin (which had been relocated to the site later and has no ties to Gov. John Sevier) by first extracting cores from all accessible logs in the cabins and then evaluating the cutting dates of these logs. A nearby reference chronology at Norris Dam anchored the Gov. John Sevier cabin chronology from 1720 to 1834 and the Walker Springs cabin chronology from 1675 to 1826. The cutting dates obtained from six logs in the Gov. John Sevier cabin suggest construction of the cabin was completed sometime between late 1835 and early 1836. We were able to date cores from 29 logs from the Walker Springs cabin, which strongly support final construction between late 1827 to early 1828. Our dendrochronological analyses suggest that the cabin at Marble Springs long thought to be the original cabin occupied by Gov. John Sevier was instead likely built during the occupancy of the property by a later tenant, George Kirby, in the early to mid-1830s, well after the death of Sevier in 1815.