oday, Oklahoma leads the nation with 2,107 watershed dams in 61 counties—built under the Flood Control Act of 1944 (P.L. 78-534), the Watershed Pilot Program authorized by the Agricultural Appropriations Act of 1953 (P.L. 82-212); Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954 (P.L. 83-566), and the RC&D program authorized by the Food and Agriculture Act of 1962 (P.L. 87-703). These dams represent lasting investments by the American people in the public good that continue to benefit Oklahomans to the present day.

In 1953, Sandstone Creek Watershed in Roger Mills County achieved a historic milestone: it became the nation's FIRST completed watershed project under the Flood Control Act of 1944. All 24 planned flood water retarding dams were constructed—proving that comprehensive watershed protection was not just possible, but replicable nationwide.

The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society mourns the passing of Governor George Nigh this month at age 98. Born in McAlester on June 9, 1927, Nigh began his remarkable public service career when elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 1950 at just 22 years old—the youngest person ever elected to that office. He served as Lieutenant Governor from 1959-63 and again from 1967–1979, before being elected Governor in 1978. After his 1982 reelection, he became the first Oklahoma governor to succeed himself, serving until 1987. For over three decades, Nigh remained at the heart of Oklahoma politics, leaving a lasting legacy that touched many areas of public life, including conservation of our soil and water resources.

In March of this year OACD gifted their Land Judging files to the Oklahoma Historical Society to be permanently archived at the Oklahoma History Center and available for the public to access in the future. The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society commends OACD for preserving this important part of Oklahoma’s conservation history and the role the National Land and Range Judging contest plays in educating students about conservation and the importance of our soil resources.

THE OKLAHOMA CONSERVATION SOCIETY MOURNS THE LOSS OF ONE OF ITS FOUNDING MEMBERS PAULINE HODGES

Tom Lucas Joins the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society Board of Directors

On April 28, 2025, the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society (OCHS) hosted a celebration honoring the 90th anniversary of P.L. 74-46 at the Canadian County Expo Center in El Reno, Oklahoma. 

On April 22, 2025, the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society (OCHS) traveled to Guymon to commemorate the 90th anniversary of Black Sunday and celebrate nine decades of soil conservation in the Panhandle.

Oklahoma Senate Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton leads effort to commemorate 90^th anniversary of Black Sunday

The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society is pleased to announce the appointment of Larry Wright to the OCHS board of directors.

This spring, the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society (OCHS) commemorates the ninetieth anniversary of Black Sunday—the iconic dust storm that symbolizes the decade of environmental crisis in the 1930s Panhandle. As we seek lessons from the Dust Bowl, we're highlighting a remarkable YouTube video from Leedey Public Schools featuring 103-year-old Bernice Carter.

The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society congratulates Scotty Herriman and his wife Jo for receiving the Aldo Leopold Award from the Sand County Foundation.  They were recognized last month at the OACD State Meeting Banquet.   Scotty Herriman is a Founding Member of the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society. He served two terms as Area 3 Commissioner on the Oklahoma Conservation Commission.  He is Past President of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts and was a graduate of the first OACD Conservation Leadership Class.  He has championed conservation in his farming career and mentored many folks around the state in conservation matters.  The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society is proud to have Scotty Herriman as a member and proud of the conservation work he has done on his farm and the lifetime commitment he has had in promoting conservation in Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society (OCHS) extends its congratulations to Ed Casey on his election as the President of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD).

The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society was proud to participate in the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts state meeting held in Norman, February 23rd-25th, 2025. We extend our sincere appreciation to the OACD leadership team for organizing another exceptional event that brought together conservation leaders from across the state. This gathering provided a valuable opportunity to connect with our members, partners, and stakeholders.

The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society completed its seventh year of operation in 2024.  Our mission is “to collect, preserve and share Oklahoma’s rich conservation history.” This post shares some the highlights of the work accomplished in 2024.

As we begin 2025, I want to thank you for your continued support of the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society and share some highlights from a remarkable year of growth and achievement.

The board of the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society is saddened to report the death of board member Patti Christian on June 25th. Patti had served on the OCHS board since February 2020 and helped represent the interests of Oklahoma’s conservation district employees. She had worked for the McClain County Conservation District in Purcell since 1992 and was the District Manager at the time of her death. Patti has also been active throughout her career in the Oklahoma Association of Conservation District Employees. Patti’s leadership in Oklahoma’s conservation community will be missed.

The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society (OCHS) is proud to announce that our traveling exhibit, "A Photographic History of Soil and Water Conservation in Oklahoma," is being showcased at the Plains Indians & Pioneers Museum in Woodward throughout the month of June.