Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society Celebrates 75th Anniversary of Cloud Creek No. 1 with Congressman Frank Lucas

Apr 29

The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society and the Washita County Conservation District welcomed conservation dignitaries to Cordell, Oklahoma on April 23, 2024, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Cloud Creek No. 1, the first upstream flood control dam completed as part of a national program of watershed flood control and soil conservation under the authority of the 1944 Flood Control Act.

Friends of conservation from across Oklahoma gathered on April 23, 2024 at the Washita County Courthouse in Cordell, Oklahoma to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Cloud Creek No. 1.

Upstream dams like Cloud Creek No. 1 play a crucial role in controlling floods and preventing soil erosion. In the Washita River watershed, 1,134 such dams were built, and nationwide, 11,850 were constructed in 47 states. These structures play a critical, often invisible, role in protecting property and saving lives across Oklahoma and the United States. To continue to do the job it was designed to do, watershed infrastructure requires constant oversight and maintenance. This was a key message shared by participants in the Cloud Creek No. 1 celebration.

Cloud Creek No. 1. was the first small watershed dam constructed in the United States under the authority of the 1944 Flood Control Act (P.L. 534). More than 10,000 attended its dedication on July 8, 1948. This aerial photo of Cloud Creek No. 1 from May 1949 is part of the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society collection in the Gateway to Oklahoma History.

Congressman Frank Lucas, representing Oklahoma's Third District, has been a critical figure in watershed flood control for going on three decades. His advocacy for conservation stems from his family's more than 120 years of farming and ranching in western Oklahoma. Lucas was instrumental in passing the Small Watershed Rehabilitation Act of 2000, which provided resources neccesary to extend the lives of flood control structures like Cloud Creek No. 1. As a past Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and current Chairman of the House Science Committee, he continues to be an influential member of Congress with a key role shaping federal conservation policy.

In his luncheon remarks, Congressman Lucas reflected on the importance of celebrating achievements like Cloud Creek No. 1 and the Watershed Rehabilitation Act to educate people about the need for continued investment in conservation. This is why organizations like the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society are important. By sharing the history, we help to maintain the progress made over the last 75 years.