Photograph of an UNIDENTIFED man on the Leonard Wyatt farm using a John Deer tractor to rake Bermudagrass roots. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Raking Bermudagrass roots into windrow on Leonard Wyatt farm.”

Photograph of an aerial shot of Owl Creek Detention Reservoir site #1 & 2 and the surrounding area. Several homes and buildings populate the land in the top background of photograph. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Bottomland protected by this (site 2) reservoir and by Site No. 1 which is to the right.”

Photograph of an aerial shot of Owl Creek Detention Reservoir site #2 and the surrounding area. A barn or miscellaneous building sits alone located at the center right background of photograph. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Ok-SCD-13-Wa.2. Site No. 2. Owl Creek Detention Reservoir. This photo was taken when heavy rains of May 18 reached peak flow at this reservoir which was empty before rain. The water reached one feet over lip. Farm land below would have flooded but for Detention Reservoir.”

Photograph of an aerial shot of Owl Creek Detention Reservoir site #1, spillway, and the surrounding area. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Owl Creek Site #1. Detention Reservoir, D. A. – 500 acres. Permanent pool – 1.03” runoff with 12.3 acres surface. Flood pool – 4.19” runoff with 33.8 acres surface. Storage total – 5.22” runoff to emergency spillway. The flood pool, which is 8’ in depth, discharges through an 18” pipe at an average rate of 27 c.f.s. or at an average rate of 1.3 inches runoff per day for its whole drainage area. During the storm of May 9-10, 15.5 inches of rain fell upon this watershed. Runoff filled the flood pool to the emergency spillway shown in foreground. In this photo flood pool is still discharging with 2 ft. of water over the 18” discharge pipe.”

Photograph of an aerial shot of Owl Creek Site No. 1 Detention Reservoir and the surrounding area. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Owl Creek OK-SCD-13-Wa. Site No. 1. Detention Reservoir. This photo was taken when heavy rains of May 18 reached peak flow at this reservoir, which was empty before rain. Water filled permanent pool and rose 30 inches above lip of draw-down pipe. Flood land below would have flooded but for Detention Reservoir.”

Photograph of an aerial shot of Owl Creek Detention Reservoir site #4 and the surrounding area. A barn or a miscellaneous building stands in the background of photo on the left side. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Owl Creek Site #4. Detention Reservoir: Drainage are [sic] – 300 ac. Permanent pool – 1.13” runoff with 6.88 surface acres. Flood pool – 4.09” runoff with 19.50 surface acres. Total storage – 5.22” runoff. The flood pool which is 8 ft. in depth has a discharge rate from 31 c.f.s. to 37 c.f.s. from 18” pipe. During the storm of May 9-10 (both pools were empty except the borrow pit) 15.5 inches of rain fell in this watershed, and water was discharged, for a short time, through the emergency spillway at a depth of 1.8 ft.”

Photograph of an aerial shot of Owl Creek Detention Reservoir site #1 & 2 and the surrounding area. Several homes and buildings populate the land in the top background of photograph. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Bottomland protected by this (site 2) reservoir and by Site No. 1 which is to the right.”

Photograph of a washed out bridge on the Finn Creek Watershed west of Wayne. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Bridge washed out west of Wayne during May 10-11 rainstorm. Part of span may be seen on bank across stream.”

Photograph of an aerial shot of Owl Creek Detention Reservoir site #2 and the surrounding area. A barn or miscellaneous building sits alone located at the center right background of photograph. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Ok-SCD-13-Wa.2. Site No. 2. Owl Creek Detention Reservoir. This photo was taken when heavy rains of May 18 reached peak flow at this reservoir which was empty before rain. The water reached one feet over lip. Farm land below would have flooded but for Detention Reservoir.”

Photograph of Owl Creek Site #4. Detention Reservoir, D.A - 500 acres. Permanent pool - 1.03" runoff with 12.3 acres surface. Storage total - 5.22" runoff to emergency spillway. The flood pool, which is 8" in depth, discharges through an 18" pipe at an average rate of 27 c.f.s. or at an average rate of 1.3 inches runoff per day for the whole drainage area. During the storm of May 9-10, 15.5" of rain fell upon this watershed. Runoff filled the flood pool to the emergency spillway shown in foreground. In this photo flood pool is still discharging with 2 ft. of water over the 18" discharge pipe.

Photograph of lagoon System: designed and built for a new housing development. The system is undercharged for the present stage of development. OK-4719-5.

Photograph of water discharge from a corrugated metal pipe extended from Owl Creek Site #5. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Owl Creek Site #5. Discharge from corrogated[sic] metal pipe operating at 35 c.f.s (7.2o over drop inlet weir or 21.41' total head). Discharge is into naturally formal still pool from above tail-water surface. Photo taken after flood of May 9-10."

Photograph of Harry Maricle, SCS Engineer, showing high water marking on Owl Creek Reservoir #5 after heavy rains on May 10-11. The back of the photograph proclaims, "SCS Engineer Harry Maricle shows high water mark during operation of Owl Creek Reservoir #5 after May 10-11 rainfall of about 15 inches."

Photograph of Rual W. Leveridge pointing to a field, just below Detention Reservoirs Nos. 1 and 2 on the Owl Creek Watershed, which intense rainfall sent overflow waters down the sloping land seen on the left of photograph and partially damaged his field. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Overflow waters for years had destroyed crops on this 30-acre strip of bottomland below Detention Reservoirs Nos. 1 and 2 in Owl Creek Watershed. However, intense rains on May 10-11 failed to send creek out of banks. Only damage was from water flowing down from sloping land at left. Leveridge has farmed the field for more than 20 years. First crops were good, but during wetter years flooding made farming here unprofitable. Leveridge has plans for developing productivity of field. He has been convinced that land will no longer be subject to annual flooding."

Photograph of Mrs. R. L. Webster pointing to roughly the estimated maximum height of the rising waters from an intense rainfall on the morning of May 11. People shown in photo go as followed from left to right: 1. Mrs. R. L. Webster, 2. Mills Webster. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Mrs. R. L. Webster who lives below Owl Creek Detention Reservation No. 4 points to level of water on morning of May 11 during intense rain in the watershed. Son, Mills Webster, 14, looks on. Websters believe water would have risen two feet inside home had it not been for dam. Livestock in barn nearer creek had narrow escape but none was lost."

Photograph of an aerial shot of Owl Creek Site #5 and the surrounding area. The back of the photograph proclaims "Owl Creek Site #5. Detention Reservoir: D. A. – 490 ac. Permanent pool – 1.15" runoff with 10.0 acre surface. Flood pool – 4.56" runoff with 29.4 Acres surface. Total storage – 5.71" runoff from 490 Acres. Flood pool (10' in depth) discharges through an 18" metal pipe at rate varying from 29 c.f.s. Both pools were empty but were filled during storm of May 9-10 & 1.0' depth discharged through [[…] spillway]."

Photograph of damage done to spillway near Owl Creek Site 5 post flood. A barbed wire fence surrounds the area. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Minor damage to spillway after 1.8 ft. flow. Flood of May 9-10. Bermuda not a cover yet."

Photograph of an aerial shot of Owl Creek Detention Reservoir site #4 and the surrounding area. A barn or a miscellaneous building stands in the background of photo on the left side. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Owl Creek Site #4. Detention Reservoir: Drainage are [sic] – 300 ac. Permanent pool – 1.13" runoff with 6.88 surface acres. Flood pool – 4.09" runoff with 19.50 surface acres. Total storage – 5.22" runoff. The flood pool which is 8 ft. in depth has a discharge rate from 31 c.f.s. to 37 c.f.s. from 18" pipe. During the storm of May 9-10 (both pools were empty except the borrow pit) 15.5 inches of rain fell in this watershed, and water was discharged, for a short time, through the emergency spillway at a depth of 1.8 ft."

Photograph of the aftermath of May 10-11 flooding as Finn Creek waters crossed this bottomland field, deposited sediment, washed out the young corn, broke the dikes protecting cropland, and took out a half mile of fencing along roadway. The back of the photograph proclaims, "On May 10 and 11 waters from Finn Creek crossed this bottomland field, depositing sediment and washing out young corn. Dikes protecting cropland has broken, unable to carry water after intense downpour. Water took out half mile of fencing along roadway."

Photograph of broken levee, which protected a bottomland field, near State Highway 24, eight miles west of Wayne. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Break in levee built along State Highway 24 eight miles west of Wayne to protect bottomland field shown beyond."

Photograph of an UNIDENTIFED man (Walter Grey) surveying damage from a broken levee, which damaged 450 acres of bottomland and severely damaged 100 acres. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Owner Walter Gray reports spending $35,000 on levees to protect his bottomland over a 20-year period. Large breaks in levees, along straightened creek, can be seen across field. Owner Gray said 450 acres of bottomland were damaged by flood. Over 100 acres were damaged seriously."

Photograph of an UNIDENTIFED person at Owl Creek Site #5 standing on a hill looking down towards water discharge from a corrugated metal pipe. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Owl Creek Site #5. Discharge from corrogated [sic] metal pipe operating at 35 c.f.s. (7.2 ft. over drop inlet weir or 21.41' total head). Discharge is into naturally formed stilling pool from above tail-water surface. Photo taken on May 13, 1950 after flood of May 9-10."

Photograph of an UNIDENTIFED man (Walter Grey) surveying damage from a broken levee, which damaged 450 acres of bottomland and severely damaged 100 acres. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Owner Walter Gray reports spending $35,000 on levees to protect his bottomland over a 20-year period. Large breaks in levees, along straightened creek, can be seen across field. Owner Gray said 450 acres of bottomland were damaged by flood. Over 100 acres were damaged seriously."

Photograph of damage done to spillway near Owl Creek Site 5 post flood. A barbed wire fence surrounds the area. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Minor damage to spillway after 1.8 ft. flow. Flood of May 9-10. Bermuda not a cover yet."