III. WORK PROJECTS, CCC

100+
Miles of Fire Breaks
10
Miles Phone Line
8,000
Gallons Oil Used
25
Miles Trails Mowed
A
Lookout Tower
  • Painted with three coats (first two-thirds, then full coat)
  • Trap door fitted with balanced weight
  • Base cleaned and covered with hay to prevent blow-outs
  • One-room cabin relocated from "21" ranch for use by patrol/lookout staff
  • Small garage also relocated and rebuilt
B
Parking Areas and Overlooks
  • East-west roads at headquarters oiled with 8,000 gallons using sand-clay mix
  • Created 5,000 cu. yards of bituminous mat
  • Compacted by rolling; significant site improvement
C
Earth Excavations
  • 10 potholes dug near Watts Lake to create waterfowl habitat
  • Each approx. 80'×100', 3½–4½ ft deep
  • All retained at least 1' of water
D
Fire Breaks
  • 100+ miles reconstructed using International "40" tractor and rooter disc
  • Additional discing in vegetated areas
  • Fire breaks near 110-mile boundary completed
  • Need for annual discing and suitable refuge equipment noted
E
Nurseries
  • Six nursery plots weeded twice
  • Installed 200 GPM turbine pump at Whitewater Lake nursery
  • Poisoned grasshoppers with arsenic mix – effective
  • Summary of seedling growth from Apr–May plantings (includes Green Ash, Chinese Elm, Black Locust, etc.)
F
Reconnaissance and Investigation
  • Vegetative range mapping in east refuge started – to be completed in September
G
Seed Collection
  • Hand-collected wild seeds:
  • Wild Currant – 7 lbs
  • Chokecherry – 600 lbs
  • Plums – 9 bushels
  • Crop yields lower due to dry weather
H
Preparation and Transportation of Materials
  • Cleanup of old WPA "21" ranch site
  • Salvaged material prepared for use in LaCreek Refuge
I
Wells
  • Three holes drilled before water was found near 21 ranch grazing area
J
Fire Hazard Reduction
  • Double shifts mowed vegetation along trails
  • 25 miles of trails mowed (12' wide strips), 50 acres cut and piled
  • Used hay for sandy road coverage
  • Smoking rules enforced; fire watch established in Hackberry tower
K
Telephone Line
  • 10 miles of line strung; phone installed in Hackberry fire tower
  • Not connected due to July 27 fire equipment loss and family illness of installer
L
General Cleanup
  • Cleared burned barn site; identified remains and reported losses
M
Fences
  • Reconstructed 2 miles south of Mule Lake
  • Repaired 6 miles of fencing north/west of Middle Marsh
N
Truck Trails
  • ½ mile near Duck Lake clayed and graded (test comparison)
  • Surveying road from Long/Duck lakes to West Hackberry Valley
  • Trails hayed to aid vehicle passage (6 miles near Pony Lake, 8 miles in NW area)
O
Surveying in Connection with Other Work
  • Preparing comprehensive groundwater survey (to tie into U.S. Geodetic Survey)
  • Preliminary nursery and road alignment surveys done
  • Trails to be surfaced with magnesia clay and hay due to lack of gravel