The Dust Bowl Began In 1930 And Devastated The Great Plains For A Decade, With Severe Dust Storms Causing The Death Of People, Livestock, And Crops

Chris Ison - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only
Chris Ison - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only

From Texas to Nebraska, clouds of dust driven by high winds swept through the region during a drought in the 1930s. This area of the United States was referred to as the Great Plains.

The period of severe dust storms was given the name of the Dust Bowl. Many people, livestock, and crops died during the drought. The Dust Bowl also worsened the economic impacts of the Great Depression.

The Dust Bowl began in 1930 and lasted for a decade. A severe drought struck parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, and New Mexico.

In the years before the Dust Bowl, farmers had been over-plowing land to increase crop production, removing the grasses that helped hold the soil in place.

Furthermore, farmers were desperate to make ends meet during the Great Depression, which exacerbated the poor soil conditions.

In 1931, strong winds blew the loosened topsoil around, creating massive dust storms. The dust was so thick that it reduced visibility to zero, buried buildings, and made it hard for people and animals to breathe.

Crops failed, and animals died due to respiratory problems and the lack of food. By 1934, around 35 million acres of land was deemed useless for farming.

As a result, thousands of farming families migrated west in search of work and a better life. They were known as “Okies,” regardless of whether they came from Oklahoma or not. Okies faced discrimination and harsh working conditions in their new homes.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s response to the crisis was pivotal. He established a number of New Deal programs aimed at helping displaced farmers and preventing future occurrences.

Chris Ison – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only

In 1935, the Soil Conservation Service and the Prairie States Forestry Project were established. These programs promoted practices like contour plowing, crop rotation, and planting trees as windbreaks on farms to combat the problem of soil erosion. In addition, financial assistance was provided to struggling farmers.

Overall, approximately 2.5 million people left the Dust Bowl states during the 1930s, making it one of the largest migrations in the history of the United States.

The state of Oklahoma lost 440,000 people to migration. About 250,000 of them moved to California.

By the end of 1939, regular rainfall returned to the region, bringing an end to the Dust Bowl era. However, the economic effects of the Dust Bowl persisted well into the 1950s.

The Dust Bowl underscored the need for more sustainable farming practices. It led to major advancements in agricultural science.

It also stands as a stark reminder of the environmental consequences that can arise when humans mess with the balance of nature.

Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.

Emily  Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a ... More about Emily Chan

More About: