Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for
Date of this Version
December 1985
Abstract
As far back as 1935, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service (SCS) began providing technical assistance to private landowners to build ponds and small lakes. To date in Texas, over 500,00 structures of this type have been built. During the 1940'x, the SCS started construction of Watershed Protection and Flood Control Impoundments in Texas. These flood prevention structures number about 1900. Other programs have brought about construction of over 16,000 grade stabilization structures (GSS) for erosion control. Numerous ponds and lakes have been built without any help from the SCS over the years. All of these impoundments store water.