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The Dust Bowl The Dust Bowl
The Dust BowlThe Dust Bowl
What is a Dust Bowl??!??What is a Dust Bowl??!??
The term “Dust Bowl” refers to the time The term “Dust Bowl” refers to the time period of agricultural devastation during period of agricultural devastation during the Great Depression. the Great Depression. The Dust Bowl occurred in the early The Dust Bowl occurred in the early 1930’s & ended in the early 1940’s.1930’s & ended in the early 1940’s.A drought hit the Midwestern & Western A drought hit the Midwestern & Western states where many thought the states where many thought the Midwestern & Western states were Midwestern & Western states were blowing away.blowing away.
This is the This is the main area main area called the called the
“Dust Bowl” “Dust Bowl” but other but other
states were states were also also
affected.affected.
What states were severely What states were severely effected?effected?
TexasTexas
OklahomaOklahoma
ColoradoColorado
KansasKansas
New MexicoNew MexicoEven though the Even though the states in yellow were states in yellow were not severely effected, not severely effected, they did suffer they did suffer damage from the damage from the storms.storms.
Major Causes of Wind ErosionMajor Causes of Wind ErosionClear Cutting,Clear Cutting, cutting all trees from an area in order to plant crops or cutting all trees from an area in order to plant crops or graze animals. Without root systems of trees to hold the dirt in graze animals. Without root systems of trees to hold the dirt in place, what happens?place, what happens?Tillage practicesTillage practices, Heavy tillage like plows vs No-till, Heavy tillage like plows vs No-tillSurface RoughnessSurface Roughness, Ridging and Clodiness reduce erosion and trap , Ridging and Clodiness reduce erosion and trap moving soil particles.moving soil particles.Cover CropsCover Crops, Used for cover when low residue crops are grown., Used for cover when low residue crops are grown.Amount of GrazingAmount of Grazing, if animals eat all the grass, what is left?, if animals eat all the grass, what is left?Annual RainfallAnnual Rainfall, dry cropland will blow on dry years, even with good , dry cropland will blow on dry years, even with good land management practices.land management practices.Timing of tillageTiming of tillage, Land heavy tilled soon after harvest will erode , Land heavy tilled soon after harvest will erode more than those that delaying tillage closer to seeding time.more than those that delaying tillage closer to seeding time.IrrigationIrrigation, wet soil blows less., wet soil blows less.
Crops could not be grown due to lack Crops could not be grown due to lack of water so animals were sold or of water so animals were sold or abandoned.abandoned.
Houses had to be sealed or boarded Houses had to be sealed or boarded up to avoid dust getting inside.up to avoid dust getting inside.
Many people simply moved West to Many people simply moved West to California to look for work.California to look for work.
How did people survive? They How did people survive? They left.left.
They became They became migrant workers. migrant workers. The word Migrant The word Migrant means mobile, or means mobile, or moving from place moving from place to place looking for to place looking for work or a different work or a different habitat.habitat.
Could You Imagine….Could You Imagine….
Their worldly possessions piled on two rundown Their worldly possessions piled on two rundown vehicles, a migrant family pauses en route to Californiavehicles, a migrant family pauses en route to California
It is estimated that 2.5 million It is estimated that 2.5 million people left the Plains statespeople left the Plains states
They went west. They went west. Looking for work Looking for work and looking for a and looking for a home of their own.home of their own.
When they left they took their When they left they took their families.families.
Liberal, KS Liberal, KS April 14, 1935April 14, 1935
A black A black blizzard blizzard Prowers Prowers Co. CO. Co. CO. 19371937
Black Sunday April 14, 1935. The dust storm Black Sunday April 14, 1935. The dust storm that turned day into night. Many believed the that turned day into night. Many believed the world was coming to an end. Dodge City, KSworld was coming to an end. Dodge City, KS
Prowers Co., CO 1937Prowers Co., CO 1937
June 4, 1937, at Goodwell, OKJune 4, 1937, at Goodwell, OK
Stratford, TX April 18, 1935Stratford, TX April 18, 1935
Dust storm approaching Stratford, TX Dust storm approaching Stratford, TX April 18, 1935April 18, 1935
Approaching dust storm at Powers Co., CO Approaching dust storm at Powers Co., CO Storm lasted from 4:15 PM to 7:00 PMStorm lasted from 4:15 PM to 7:00 PM
Dust storm at Sheridan Lake, CODust storm at Sheridan Lake, CO
A dust cloud approaching a small town in OKA dust cloud approaching a small town in OK
““Fleeing a dust storm”Fleeing a dust storm”
Farmer Arthur Coble Farmer Arthur Coble and sons walking in and sons walking in the face of the dust the face of the dust storm. April, 1936 storm. April, 1936
Sometimes it was deep.Sometimes it was deep.
Garden City, KS at 5:15 PM (Garden City, KS at 5:15 PM (note the street lights note the street lights photo 1photo 1) and compare to photo 2. Photo 2 was just ) and compare to photo 2. Photo 2 was just 15 min. later after the dust blotted out the sun.15 min. later after the dust blotted out the sun.
Photo 1 Photo 2
Dust storm approaching Elkhart, KSDust storm approaching Elkhart, KS
May, 1937May, 1937
Red Cross Red Cross volunteers volunteers wearing dust wearing dust masks. masks. Liberal, KSLiberal, KS
The Dust Bowl The Dust Bowl and drought and drought devastated devastated some farm some farm families in the families in the early 1930’s, early 1930’s, such as this 32 such as this 32 year old mother year old mother of seven. of seven. “Migrant “Migrant Mother” 1936Mother” 1936
What would you do?What would you do?
George and George and Lennie traveled Lennie traveled
across California across California looking for work.looking for work.
