The Dust Bowl

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The Dust Bowl

• An Economic and Environmental American Tragedy

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Interrupted Ecosystem

• Land before interruption
• a sea of grass 2-4 feet tall
• little rainfall (20 per year) - up to 10 years
  of drought.

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The Ecosystem Before Tragedy

• Bison grazed which attracted prairie dogs to
  short grasses to easily see predators.
• PDs then build burrows near bison.
• Bison clean themselves in the loose dirt of the
  burrows.
• This creates holes which collect rainfall.

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Soil Erosion

• Even in this ideal environment, little rain
  causes a shortage of grass, bison overgraze,
  prairie fires occur due to the heat, wind
  persists spreading both dust and fire.

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What did farmers do to contribute to the disaster?
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• Moved west in masses during a wet cycle and
  continued to plow during a 10 year period of
  drought.
• Burned off stubble after harvest subjecting loose
  soil to wind erosion.
• Soil in the air created static electricity which
  destroyed any small amount of growth
  .
• ERA NICKNAME WAS THE DIRTY THIRTIES

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Consequences

• Dust Pneumonia
• Dust in food
• Cars wouldnt start (static electricity)
• All unable to make a living
• Forced to move -- mostly to the West where there
  were rumors of farm employment.
• Dust killed animals

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Affected Area
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On the move

• They traveled the MOTHER ROAD (rt.66) to
  California.
• Dust Bowlers received fliers requesting farm
  workers.

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Problems of the Journey

• Hygiene no clean water
• No Money had to work odd jobs to afford gas to
  get from to town to town
• Had to cross the desert with all possessions

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• Little opportunity to bathe disease

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Washed clothes in ditches along the way!
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• They traveled the Mother Road Route 66 to
  California

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• People were forced to camp along the roadside

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• Children were without a school or nutritious food
  to eat

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Trouble for Okies

• Teachers and school children ridiculed Okie kids
• Many Okie kids went to school barefooted

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The US government set up camps in California to
accommodate the new arrivals

• School teachers and students teased okie
  children
• Many kids wore old flour or potato sacks

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New Deal solutions to problems

• Restoration of pastures (rotational grazing-plant
  grass)
• Leave stubble After plowing to hold down soil
• Plow in furrows opposite wind direction to
  prevent wind erosion
• Plow ACROSS a hill to prevent water erosion
• Strip cropping with hay or sorghum to prevent
  erosion
• Plant trees alongside fields to stop wind erosion
• PAID FARMERS NOT TO PLANTHIGHER PRICES!