Land Protected by Levee

Photograph of land protection via levee ½ miles east of Binger and looking south from a highway bridge on highway 152 on Curtis Opitz’s land. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Looking south from highway bridge on highway 152 east of Binger, Oklahoma [sic]. The field on the right is protected by a levee. This field was of little use due to overflows before the levee was constructed.”
Date: March 20, 1958
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Retired Cultivated Field

Photograph of the proper land use of a retired cultivated field. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Planting of bluestem grass on a retired cultivated field. Old terraces are still noticeable in the field. This land is highly erodible and should be farmed with protective measures.”
Date: March 20, 1958
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Sugar Creek Sedimentation Damage

Photograph of sediment damage that has caused land to go from cultivable to willows along Sugar Creek and highway 281. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Looking east from bridge on highway 281 showing sediment damage that has caused land along Sugar Creek to go from cultivation to willows.”
Date: March 20, 1958
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Sugar Creek Main Channel

Photograph of the main channel of Sugar Creek south of Gracemont. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Main channel of Sugar Creek which crosses Highway 281, south of Gracemont, Oklahoma. This land was Class I and is now useless because it is covered with silt, Bermudagrass and willows. It needs protection from floodwaters to be made to produce at its maximum.”
Date: March 20, 1958
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Auto Stalled in Sand Trap in Dust Storm

Photograph of an automobile stalled in sand trap in dust storm in March 26, 1950.
Date: March 26, 1950
Creator: Webb, C. G.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Sugar Creek Gully

Photograph of view of gully on which treatment is planned under the Sugar Creek flood prevention plan. This is located in Caddo County.
Date: 1959-01-XX
Creator: Wall, R. N.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Grass Pasture

Photograph of Rogers, left, and Robert N. Wall, SCS technician, examining 30-acres field seeded to native grass in April, 1948. Rogers sowed little bluestem 10 lbs. an acre, blue grass 2 lbs. an acre, and sand lovegrass 1 lb. an acre. Drilled in 7-inch rows on row sorghum stubble of year before. Disked lightly. This field had been in cultivation about 20 years , mostly peanuts and row feed. "Wouldn't hardly pay gas and oil bill then," says Rogers. Planting first grazed in 1950 with 42 head of cattle June 15 to Sept. 1. Rogers' grazing plan is to use the planting some in spring, take off when about half used, then winter on the field. 7RP-III
Date: August 22, 1951
Creator: Tomkins, Gordon
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Grass Pasture

Photograph of Murl Roark, SCS technician, and Mike Caruso, member of the South Caddo SCD board of supervisiors, examine portion of a 60-acre bluestem pasture planted in March, 1947. Field is almost entirely little bluestem. Green winter-grasses 12 cows and 12 calves on this 60 acres, along with 10 acres of well-established weeping lovegrass, and rests the pasture during the growing season. This native grass was seeded in 12-inch rows at a rate of 12 lbs. to an acre on badly eroded land. Green says the grass has ended erosion. 7RP-VIII
Date: August 22, 1951
Creator: Tomkins, Gordon
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Grass Pasture

Photograph of Caruso, right and Ray Murrell, SCS technician, in 140-acre depleted mill land field which was seeded to native grass mixture in spring, 1949. Caruso plans to use this pasture during the winter and rest it during the growing season until grass is well established. No land preparation on this planting. Very sandy soil. Considerable wind and water erosion ahead of grass planting. This 140-acre planting fertilized in 1949 with 140 tons of lime and 20 tons of rock phosphate. 7oCT - VII.
Date: August 22, 1951
Creator: Tomkins, Gordon
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Row Irrigation

Photograph of Mr. Churchill and SCS Technician Herb Provett looking up listed rows toward irrigation ditch after 5" application of water.
Date: April 18, 1950
Creator: Gardner, G. C.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Row Irrigation

Photograph of Mr. Churchill and SCS Technician Herb Provett looking up listed rows toward irrigation ditch after 5" application of water.
Date: April 18, 1950
Creator: Gardner, G. C.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Combining Cheyenne Indian Grass

Photograph of combining Cheyenne Indiangrass seed.Seeded in 1958. Seed for this planting furnished by Plant Material Center.
Date: September 18, 1959
Creator: Bryan, Hugo
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Wind, Wind Erosion, Sand Storms and Dunes

Photograph of an automobile stalled in sand trap in dust storm on March 26, 1950. Only fields not suffering from erosion in this immediate vicinity are those fields where vetch and small grain furnish cover. OK-10, 359.
Date: March 26, 1950
Creator: Gardener, G. C.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Wind, Wind Erosion, Sand Storms, and Dunes

Photograph of sand drifts on unprotected sandy land farm after a bad dust storm. OK-10, 489.
Date: 1950
Creator: Gardener, G. C.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Wind, Wind Erosion, Sand Storms and Dunes

Photograph of an automobile stalled in sand trap in dust storm on March 26, 1950. Only fields not suffering from erosion in this immediate vicinity are those fields where vetch and small grain furnish cover. OK-10, 359.
Date: March 26, 1950
Creator: Gardener, G. C.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Water Conservation; Water Erosion; Flooding and Prevention

Photograph of a completed stock pond – road fill project. 385 acres drainage area. This was a cooperative project between I.C. Ingram, Caddo County Commissioners, the Soil Conservation Service [SCS] and the Agricultural Conservation Program [ACP]. Ingram needed stock water and received assistance from ACP for that purpose. Caddo County Commissioners furnished extra yardage needed to make it suitable for a raod fill. Ingram has 400 acres in Caddo County and all of it is under a basic plan with the North Caddo Soil Conservation District [SCD]. He started work in 1945 and has been applying soil conservation practices each year. OK-891-3.
Date: July 23, 1959
Creator: Bramble, R. F.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Land Clearance, Cultivation & Brush and Weed Control

Photograph of an outlet channel constructed with a plow in the fall of 1948 (1000 feet long x 20 feet wide) seeded to 50 pounds of intermediate wheat grass. Fertilized with 200 pounds of 5-10-5 fertilizer at the time of seding. OK-9898-B.
Date: July 2, 1950
Creator: Orr, Erwin T
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Grass, Legume and Forb Cultivation

Photograph of native grass, Claude Gilbert farm. Native grass pasture seeded in 1952. Bluestem on the right and Indian grass on the left. These grasses have not been grazed since they were seeded. Soil Conservation Service program started on this farm in 1952. OK-401-11.
Date: November 8, 1956
Creator: Keathley, M. G.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Grass, Legume and Forb Cultivation

Photograph of weeping lovegrass. Claude Gilbert in a field of weeping lovegrass. That was moved once this year, making 1 ½ tons of hay per acre. Mowed twice in 1955, it yielded 100 pounds of seed per acre which was sold for $0.65 per pound. Gilbert fertilizes his weeping lovegrass with 100 pounds of 10-20-10 fertilizer per acre each spring. Soil Conservation Service program started on this farm in 1952. OK-401-9.
Date: November 8, 1956
Creator: Keathley, M. G.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Grass, Legume and Forb Cultivation

Photograph of B. F. Prickett, Soil Conservation Service [SCS] technician and Marshall Smith examining approximately 2400 pounds of Woodward sand bluestem harvested from an 8 acre field seeded in the spring of 1958. Seed for this planting was furnished by the Plant Material Center. OK-1013-6.
Date: September 17, 1959
Creator: Bryan, Hugo
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Farming Equipment and Methods

Photograph of stubble mulching. Stubble mulching on wheat land. Guy Schroder is shown with the wheat drill he uses on stubble mulched land. It is a 16-foot, 10-inch Van Brundt drill that sows a strip 13 feet and 4 inches wide. It has 10 inch row spacings and 14 inch disc openers. Schroder is a cooperator with the District and started the Soil Conservation Service program on this farm in 1950.
Date: October 22, 1956
Creator: Kealthley, M. G.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Farming Equipment and Methods

Photograph of stubble mulching on wheat land. Guy Schroder, left, a cooperator with the North Caddo District, and Harold Slaton, Soil Conservation Service [SCS], Conservation Aid, are examining a wheat drill used to sow wheat on stubble-mulched land (16 feet, 10 inches Van Brunt model). Schroder began cooperating with the SCS in 1950 in planning a soil conservation program for his farm.
Date: October 22, 1956
Creator: Kealthley, M. G.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Water Conservation; Water Erosion; Flooding and Prevention

Photograph of the south end of a waterway, just staked,, looking north. Designed on non-erosive grade for drainage of 1600 acres for 3700 feet spilling into the South Canadian River. It protects several acres of bottom alfalfa land. Photo OK-184-12 shows the waterway after construction started. OK-184-10.
Date: November 2, 1955
Creator: Bates, Leland A.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Conservationists Examining Stubble Mulch Tillage (2)

Photograph of SCS technicians B.P. Prickett and L.J. McDonald, Assistant State Conservationist, examine stubble mulch tillage just prior to seeding wheat. This stubble mulch tillage was done with 30 inch sweeps.
Date: September 17, 1959
Creator: Bryan, Hugo
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History