The fonds consists of correspondence, memoranda, notes, reports, agenda, calendars and printed materials pertaining to the activities of the Department of Geography and its Head (1969-1986). The fonds also contains the Olav Slaymaker Sous-fonds (1975-1976).

The fonds consists of records from the Fraser River Model Project (1949-1962); the Vancouver Harbour and Burrard Inlet Model Project (1953-1956); materials generated in teaching and taking UBC engineering courses (1922-1972), academic materials generated outside of the UBC system, and miscellaneous engineering projects that Pretious participated in his time at UBC (1942-1977). The records have been separated into six different series. Reports and memoranda which were issued as a series have been arranged in series order, but other items were filed arbitrarily under the two projects and have been maintained this way.