The collection consists of Reuel Olson's materials used in the creation of his thesis on the Colorado River Compact and include various items such as newspaper clippings, essays, briefs, articles, letters, and Olson's personal notes. Materials principally focus on the Compact while some materials relate to other compacts formed during the time or to various associations and commissions. Materials present a multi-faceted perspective of the Colorado River Compact as it contains responses to the Compact by states, law-makers, and citizens who were actively involved in the matter or contributed information on the issues surrounding its creation.