author

Marshall Ora Leighton

1874–1958

An early American engineer and writer, he documented floods, water pollution, and public water policy at a time when those subjects were becoming urgent national concerns. His books combine technical knowledge with a clear sense of how water shapes everyday life.

1 Audiobook

The Passaic Flood of 1903

The Passaic Flood of 1903

by Marshall Ora Leighton

About the author

Marshall Ora Leighton was an American engineer and nonfiction writer whose life dates are commonly given as 1874–1958. Records from public-domain library and catalog sources link him with technical writing on hydrology, water quality, floods, and the public use of water power.

Much of his work was connected to the United States Geological Survey in the early twentieth century. Publications attributed to him include The Passaic Flood of 1903, Normal and Polluted Waters in Northeastern United States, Field Assay of Water, and Pollution of Illinois and Mississippi Rivers by Chicago Sewage, showing a sustained interest in how water systems affect public health, industry, and infrastructure.

His writing sits at the crossroads of science and public policy. Even when the subject was highly technical, his books were aimed at explaining real-world problems clearly, which makes them valuable not just as historical documents but also as snapshots of an era when modern water management was taking shape.