Libraries Publish New Digital Collection: Flooding and Flood Control in Arkansas

Photo Submitted

Boeuf and Tensas Rivers Project, McGehee flood, Image 412, house surrounded by water.

The University Libraries Digital Services Department has published a new digital collection, Flooding and Flood Control in Arkansas. The materials, which can be accessed free of charge by users worldwide, comprise 170 photos, legal documents, poetry and handwritten first-hand accounts of flooding and its effects in our state. 

"In light of recent floodings throughout our nation, it is crucial to recognize that the work initiated in the past remains relevant and essential today," said Martha Anderson, head of the Digital Services Department. "By understanding the long-lasting effects of historic floods, we can better appreciate the need to invest in flood control infrastructure and develop innovative solutions to mitigate the risks posed by flooding."

Arkansas has more than 87,000 miles of streams and rivers within its borders, including America's first National River, the Buffalo River and portions of the Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers. These waterways have periodically flooded, sometimes causing devastation to surrounding communities. 

For centuries, Arkansans have attempted to control flooding, with varying degrees of success and collateral damage. Arkansas' dams and levees have been maintained by a variety of authorities, from local levee districts to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

"Many Arkansans, like those around the world, have seen their lives and communities shaped by flooding, and they in turn have worked to reshape the natural landscape to try to prevent and redirect that flooding," said Katrina Windon, Collections Management and Processing Unit head. "This exhibit highlights some of Special Collections' records documenting this part of our state's history, and we hope it will encourage viewers to research and explore further."

The University Libraries project team consisted of Anderson, Windon and Deborah E. Kulczak, director of Metadata and Preservation Services. Digital Services personnel digitized and processed images, including Christina Rhoades, Digital Services supervisor; Addi Brandkamp; Clara Davis; Jahilit Flores; Ross Kerr; and Shelby Osbourn. Dylan Hurd, web developer, created the digital collection's landing page. The project was completed in September 2024.