Photograph of the aftermath of the May 10, 1950 flood. Note the completely destroyed home and several wrecked cars. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Willow Creek and Magnolia Street - Flood of May 10, 1950.”

Photograph of view looking up-stream through break in embankment. Water still flowing through break. Note washin in topsoil on down-stream slope of the embankment.

Photograph of view looking down-stream through break in embankment. Failure occurred on night of May 9th. High water mark 4.9 feet above inlet to draw down tube.

Photograph of an UNIDENTIFIED concreate structure in between a break in the embankment. The back of the photograph proclaims, “View looking up-stream thru break in embankment. Water still flowing thru break. Note washing in topsoil on down-stream slope of the embankment.”

Photograph of an UNIDENTIFIED concreate structure in between a break in the embankment. The back of the photograph proclaims, "View looking up-stream thru break in embankment. Water still flowing thru break. Note washing in topsoil on down-stream slope of the embankment."

Photograph of an UNIDENTIFIED concreate structure in between a break in the embankment. The back of the photograph proclaims, "View looking up-stream thru break in embankment. Water still flowing thru break. Note washing in topsoil on down-stream slope of the embankment."

Photograph of Willow Creek looking south from bridge on Main Street, after flood of May 10, 1950.

Photograph of "Willow Creek, looking south from bridge on Main Street, after flood of May 10, 1950." An UNIDENTIFED man is walking in front of a damaged building, next to the car.

Photograph of three UNIDENTIFED men inspecting a Detention Reservoir embankment break located on Prairie Dale Creek Site #3. The back of the photograph proclaims, "View looking down-stream thru break in embankment. Failure occurred on night of May 9. High water mark 4.9 feet above inlet to draw down tube."

Photograph of three men inspecting foundation of a flood damaged building after the May 10, 1950 flood on Willow Creek. The back of the photograph proclaims, “View near Willow Creek after flood of May 10, 1950."

Photograph of a view showing the destruction of the May 10, 1950 Willow Creek flood on several homes caught by the rising waters. The back of the photograph proclaims, "View near Willow Creek after flood of May 10, 1950."

Photograph of homes damaged near Willow Creek after the flood of May 10, 1950.

Photograph of view near Willow Creek after flood of May 10, 1950.

Photograph of view near Willow Creek after flood of May 10, 1950.

Photograph of Bermuda grass.

Photograph of pasture establishment. Automatic Bermuda grass sprigger putting out Bermuda grass roots on an old upland cultivated field. Fertilizer, 10-20-10, is being applied as the sprigs are being planted, at the rate of 150 pounds per acre. The soil in this field, soil unit 20, is not suitable for cultivation so it is being put into permanent pasture. The practice of converting depleated cropland into permanent pastures is recommended by the Soil Conservation Service. OK-266-11.

Photograph of a Bermuda grass root harvest. Arbuckle Soil Conservation District [SCD] sprigging Bermuda grass on Jim Bivins’ farm, with two-plow sprigger. Note the rack built on top to hold extra sprigs. Approximately 4 acres can be sprigged without stopping to reload. Note trailer being pulled behind sprigger to carry extra fertilizer—800 pounds. The trailer was so designed by the District that one wheel of the trailer runs over the last row of sprigs planted, thus giving more compaction and firming of the soil over the sprigs to retain moisture. An extension was added on the fertilizer attachment of the sprigger for carrying an additional 350 pounds of fertilizer. A spare tire is also carried on the trailer. District-owned chisel, rototiller, side delivery rake. This equipment is for harvesting Bermuda grass roots for establishing sod on other farms. Land is left smooth and will be re-harvested in 2 years. The District charges $5.00 for the use of the automatic sprigging machine and enough Bermuda roots to sod 1 acre. Average yield per acre will sod 12 acres. This machine will harvest 3 tons of roots daily, enough to spring 30 acres. The Soil Conservation Service recommends permanent pasture on land …

Photograph of pasture cultivation. Pasture recently established on land cleared from dense oak brush. The original brush in the background. Area in the center of photo shows the problem of removing stumps and dirt after burning. This area will need to be reworked before the pasture will have full coverage of grass and can be moved. Midland Bermuda grass was sprigged on this area to establish pasture. This land clearing and pasture establishing is recommended by the Soil Conservation Service [SCS]. OK-266-9.

Photograph of pasture establishing. Pasture recently established on land cleared from dense oak brush. Original brush in the background. This land was sprigged with midland Bermuda grass roots raised on the Roy Whitehead farm. Sprigging was done with an automatic Bermuda grass sprigger and fertilized at the time of sprigging with 200 pounds of 10-20-10 fertilizer per acre. This land clearing and pasture establishing is recommended by the Soil Conservation Service.

Photograph of land clearing. Native black jack trees showing the results of an aerial application of 2-4-5T herbicide. Spraying was done in 1951 and 1953 at a rate of two and one pounds, respectively, of acid per gallon [of oil or water?]. Demonstration under supervision of the US Department of Agriculture [USDA], Agricultural Research Service [ARS]. Note the return of native bluestem grass when the growth of the black jacks has been removed. This brush was sprayed twice, one year between sprayings. OK-266-12.

Photograph of land clearing. Native black jack trees showing the results of aerial application of 2-4-5-T herbicide. This brush was sprayed twice, with a year between sprayings. Spraying was done at a rate of two pounds per acre in 1951 and one pound per acre in 1953. Demonstrations were under the supervision of the US Department of Agriculture [USDA] and its in-house research agency, the Agricultural research Service [ARS]. Note the return of native bluestem grass when the growth of the blackjacks has been removed. OK-266-12.

Photograph of a stream channel clogging. Drift wood clogging the stream channel on the Little Deep Fort Creek. This clogging causes the water to spread out over the land during periods of heavy rain fall. Much damage is done to both land and crops as the result of this flooding. The Soil Conservation Service estimates that damage is done to 16,500 acres of bottomland along the creek. OK-273-5.

Photograph of a furrowed and contoured field of coastal Bermuda planted May 6, 1958. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Coastal Bermuda. Newly set. To be followed when each step in establishment is made. Note furrows made by furrow attachment. Also on contour. Planting made May 6, 1958."

Photograph of newly set Coastal Bermuda. To be followed when each step in establishment is made. Note furrows made by furrow attachment. Also on contour. Planting made May 6, 1958.