Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

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Open Access Thesis

Keywords

Civilian Conservation Corps (US); Soil conservation--Iowa--Winneshiek County; Arroyos--Iowa--Winneshiek County; Arroyos; Soil conservation; Iowa--Winneshiek County;

Abstract

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was created in 1933 in an effort to help solve the problems associated with the lack of jobs for young men, the nations dwindling natural resources, and problems associated with soil erosion. The CCC's work in Iowa was primarily in the areas of reforestation and erosion control. Company 1749 of Cresco, Iowa stands out as an example of how the CCC worked to halt erosion. As a part of their erosion-control strategy, Company 1749 built a large number of rubble and masonry dams on gullies. These dams were designed to trap sediments and prevent further gully erosion of agricultural fields The purpose of this thesis was to determine the modem effects that these rubble and masonry dams currently have on the morphology of these gullies. Johnson Gully near Kendallville, Iowa in Winneshiek County was chosen for study. This study includes a history of the erosion-control methods used by Company 1749, including a description of the dams that they built. The historical portion of the study was accomplished through a review of a number of library sources and newspapers. Field methods included a) measuring a longitudinal profile and a number of cross sections, and b) measuring and describing the conditions of the dams. Collectively, these data were used to reveal the modem characteristics of the gully and how the modem morphology of Johnson Gully is being influenced by the presence and conditions of the rubble and masonry dams that were built by Company 1749 over 65 years ago. Three dams were built by the CCC in Johnson Gully in 1934. Dam I was built near the headscarp of the gully. Its failure within the last 5 years, which was caused by the tipping of a tree along a sidewall of the dam, has led to renewed headward gully erosion around the side of the dam wall. Dam 2 was constructed one-quarter of the way down the gully. It is still working as an effective sediment trap today because of a modification of its spill way apron within the last 15 years by the landowner. Dam 3 is located in the lower reach of they gully near the floodplain of the Upper Iowa River. Dam 3 has trapped an enormous amount of alluvial sand behind it. Dam 3 is still an effective sediment trap, despite some solution of the limestone wall of the dam and a tunnel forming in the historical alluvium and the dam. Currently Dam 3 is in danger of being overwhelmed by alluvial sand.

Year of Submission

2000

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Department of Geography

First Advisor

David May

Second Advisor

Dennis Dahms

Third Advisor

Carol Weisenberger

Comments

If you are the rightful copyright holder of this thesis and wish to have it removed from the Open Access Collection, please submit a request to scholarworks@uni.edu and include clear identification of the work, preferably with URL.

Date Original

2000

Object Description

1 PDF file (77 leaves)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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