Photograph of big cordgrass in bloom. This grass is highly palatable to livestock and is part of the "climax" on high marshes. LA. 62-044.

Photograph of soil from farms in Mississippi watershed spurts from a pipe after being dredged from the harbor. Soil is spewed into stream channel where current is strong enough to carry it further downstream. LA-62, 278.

Photograph of soil from Mississippi watershed farms spewing from the end of a pipe line into a stream channel where the current is strong enough to carry it further downstream. Suction dredge is clearing channel to permit ships to dock. LA-62, 277.

Photograph of a suction dredge in the background that is clearing channel to permit ships to dock. The sand spewing out the end of the pipeline represents soil from the Mississippi watershed farms. At this spot dredging will go on for 12 days from a 100-foot line to deep water. Dredging 500 to 550 cubic yards an hour continuously. 500 cubic yards is equal to a farm of 178.5 acres with topsoil 6 inches deep for the 12-day dredging period. Sediment here is 9 feet deep. The water must be kept at a 35-feet mean for low gulf. This job is being done by a private contractor under the supervision of U.S. Corps of Engineers. LA-62, 279.

Photograph of R. T. Douglas and his field. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Pig weeds grow on fertile land where I planted corn twice this year,” says R. T. Douglas. “My fist planting washed out and the second planting had just started growing when this field was flooded a second time, I’ve got about 75 acres on which there will be a total crop loss this year. If my new drainage system had been completed in time I expect I’d have made 40 bushels of corner per acre here from the first planting.”

Photograph of an UNIDENTIFIED man standing in the channel of Main Drainage Ditch #1 at Station 1 & 25 after removal of stumps and completion of dragline operations. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Channel of Main Drainage Ditch #1 at Station 1 & 25 after removal of stumps and completion of dragline operations. Outlet is Bayou Chenin-A-Haut. Ditch drains almost 175 acres of cultivated land, and about 10 acres of woodland pasture. Approximately 40 acres, which has been out of cultivation for years due to poor drainage is now being brought back into production."

Photograph of two UNIDENTIFIED men standing in lateral constructed in the spring of 1946 and seeded to Kobe Lespedeza on the D. N. and W. L. Koll farm. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Lateral constructed in spring of 1946. Seeded to Kobe Lespedeza. Maintained by mowing 3 to 5 times per year."

Photograph of Lateral construction in fall of 1950 on the J. G. Wylie, Jr., farm to rye grass and maintained via mowing. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Lateral construction in fall of 1950. Seeded to rye grass and maintained by mowing."

Photograph of two UNIDENTIFIED men standing in lateral constructed in the spring of 1946 and seeded to Kobe Lespedeza on the D. N. and W. L. Koll farm. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Lateral constructed in spring of 1946. Seeded to Kobe Lespedeza. Maintained by mowing 3 to 5 times per year."

Photograph of Mr. Knotts looking over a large area of corn drowned out, caused by ineffective drainage system. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Idle land and crop loss, Inadequate Drainage. Mr. Knoots [sic] looking over a large area of corn drowned out, caused by ineffective drainage system. Water from recent heavy rains remains on the land too long. Note: Idle land on left side of photo that was not planted due to excessive moisture resulting from improper drainage."