Municipal Archives

Dallas Flood and Levee Control Districts, 1919-1968

​Collection 1991-120

​Overview

Repository
Office of the City Secretary
Dallas Municipal Archives
1500 Marilla Street, 5D South
Dallas, Texas 75201
CreatorDallas Flood and Levee Control Districts
TitleDallas Flood and Levee Control Districts
Dates1919-1968
Quantity6 linear inches
Abstract
Vouchers, receipts, and correspondence regarding Dallas Flood and Levee Control Districts, scrapbook of mounted newspaper clippings.
Identification1991-120
LanguageRecords are in English


Scope and Content

The City of Dallas plays a significant role in the management of river water and groundwater in Dallas County, Texas. The Trinity River was named during the Spanish colonial era (La Santisima Trinidad), supposedly supplied by explorer Alonso DeLeón in 1690. The river rises in three principal branches: the East Fork, the Elm Fork, and the West Fork. A fourth smaller headstream is known as the Clear Fork. It flows 423 miles from the confluence of the Elm and West forks to the coast, making it the longest river having its entire course in Texas.

The portion of the Trinity flowing through and around the City of Dallas has been connected historically to city government from its early use for commercial transportation to its use as a demarcating line between the northern and southern halves of the city, to its projected use as a recreational area. Dallas founder John Neely Bryan's original town survey used the Trinity as the western boundary, with streets laid out at right angles to the river. Flooding was a major problem in Dallas’ early years, the worst occurring in 1908. The bends in the river were straightened in 1929 and a series of levees built for flood control through a bond program that also included a number of new bridges, finally joining the two halves of the city.

The history of the Trinity River, Dallas groundwater sources, and the City of Dallas is reflected in various local water agencies. The districts administer a number of water programs, including flood control, drainage, navigation, irrigation, domestic, commercial, and industrial water supply, sewage disposal, power supply, groundwater control, soil conservation, and recreation.

Collection contains records concerning the creation of and payments into Dallas levee districts. The districts were created in the 1920s to give the City of Dallas the authority to levy and collect taxes to build levees, straighten channels, and provide drainage.  The collection consists of one scrapbook of newspaper​ clippings related to issues surrounding proposed improvements made to the Trinity River Basin in the early 1930s.

Many of the issues examined in the newspaper clippings were a result of work proposed under the Ulrickson Plan of 1927. The plan was a nine-year capital budget program calling for the issuance of $23,900,000 in bonds to finance a variety of public works projects in the City of Dallas.  The bond program, passed in 1927, significantly affected the growth and development of the city.  Among other improvements, the plan called for the construction of levees to contain the Trinity River in the event of a catastrophic flood similar to the flood of 1908, a re-channeling program that moved the river away from downtown, as well as a system of bridges across the Trinity that finally joined the two halves of the city.

Included in the collection are articles from The Dallas Morning News, The Dallas Times Herald, The Dallas Journal, The Dallas Journal Oak Cliff Edition, The Oak Cliff Tribune, The Dallas Dispatch, and one article from The Bond Buyer.  Article subjects include the construction of various bridges, including the Triple Underpass, the construction of the public farmers market, a multi-part series of articles by columnist Lynn Landrum on Dallas and the Trinity River, federally funded public works projects, sewer improvements, Mill Creek drainage, right of way issues, bond issues, and coverage of the 1935 flood and the effectiveness of the new levees.   

Organization

The collection is arranged by material type and includes an oversized object.

Access

Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use by any and all other current or future developed methods or procedures must be obtained in writing from the Dallas Municipal Archives. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards.

Citation

Dallas Flood and Levee Control Districts, 1919–1968 (Box <x>, Folder <y>), Dallas Municipal Archives

Related Materials


Index Terms

Dallas -- Texas -- History
Trinity River 
Trinity River Basin (Tex.)

Container List 

BoxFolderTitle, Date
11Community court order establishing Dallas County Levee Improvement District No. 5, January 16, 1919
 2Order canvassing returns and declaring results of maintenance tax election in Dallas County Levee Improvement District No. 5, October 9, 1942
 3Office memoranda, 1969
 4Dallas County Levee Improvement District No. 5, Ledgers for maintenance and operations from September 30, 1949-July 28, 1952
 5Dallas County Levee Improvement District No. 5, Repair and Maintenance fund October 11, 1940, December 1942
 6Surety Bond - City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, April 15, 1964, April 15, 1965, and April 15, 1965, April 15, 1966 with continuation certificate
 7Leases - Offices and Safe Deposit Boxes, 1950-1962
 8Final Statement with Trinity Farm Construction Company, January 9, 1932
 9Dallas County Levee Improvement District No. 5, Repair and Maintenance Account Card July 5, 1941-August 2, 1953
 10Canceled Checks, First National Bank of Dallas 1942-1952
 11Cancelled Check Stubs First National Bank of Dallas 1945-1952
 12Cancelled checks with itemized statement of payments of bond premium collection of taxes, supervisor's fee, June 24, 1946-July 28, 1952
 13Cancelled checks with itemized statement of payment of bond premium, collection of taxes, supervisor's fee March 24, 1942-May 10, 1946
 14Extension of contract between Dallas County Flood Control District and City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District and Dallas County Levee Improvement District No. 5, December 27, 1965
 15A resolution employing engineering firm of Myers, Noyes & Forest, and contract with Myers, Noyes & Forest
 16Contract with Construction Service Inc., July 24, 1934
 17Contract with Myers, Noyes & Forest, August 31, 1934
 18Contract between Dallas County Flood Control District and City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District and Dallas County Levee Improvement District No. 5, May 7, 1946, approved May 24, 1946
 19Contract Paul Wyche, W. C. Windsor, and Dallas County Levee Improvement District No. 5, with a copy of letter to Moore Lyn
 20Contract agreement between Dallas County Flood Control District and T. C. Forrest Jr., and James A. Cotton (Forrest & Cotton Engineers), May 11, 1956
21Leases: Oak Farm, 1936-1968
 2City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District Refunding Books, series 1945
 3City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District Refunding Books, series 1937
 4Meeting Minutes of the Dallas County Levee Improvement District No. 5, April 1932- March 1941
 5Meeting Minutes of the Dallas County Levee Improvement District No. 5, May 1945-August 1961
 6Meeting Minutes of the Dallas County Levee Improvement District No. 5, January 1964-September 1968
 7Correspondence re: bond information, March 25, 1946-January 26, 1961
 8Correspondence, March 25, 1945-September 15, 1954
 9Correspondence, January 5, 1955-December 17, 1960
 10Correspondence, April 10, 1960 December 12, 1962
 11Correspondence, January 22, 1963-December 31, 1964
 12Correspondence, January 8, 1965-September 30, 1968
31Board of Directors of the Dallas County Flood Control District, September 1, 1945-March 28, 1958
41Board of Directors of the Dallas County Flood Control District, April 7, 1958-January 6, 1970
51Board of Supervisors, City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, Volume 1, July 26, 1926-February 29, 1932
 2Board of Supervisors, City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, Volume 2, March 1932-December 1934
 3Board of Supervisors, City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, Volume 3, January 1936-1944
 4Board of Supervisors, City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, Volume 4, January 30, 1945-December 27, 1965
61Board of Supervisors, City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, January 31, 1966-September 16, 1968
71
Final Report of the Board of Appraisers - Report of Commissioners of Appraisement City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, Dallas, County, Texas, filed March 17, 1928. 
81
Final Report of the Board of Appraisers - Report of Commissioners of Appraisement, City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, Dallas, County, Texas, filed March 17, 1928 (paper copy from microfilm)
91Levee construction scrapbook, 1932-1934

​​Oversized Tax Roll Ledgers
 Item 1Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1937
 Item 2Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1938
 Item 3Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1939
 Item 4Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1942
 Item 5Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1943
 Item 6Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1944
 Item 7Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1945
 Item 8Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1948
 Item 9Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1949
 Item 10Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1956
 Item 11Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1957
 Item 12Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1958
 Item 13Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1959
 Item 14Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1960
 Item 15Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1961
 Item 16Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1962
 Item 17Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1963
 Item 18Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1964
 Item 19Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1965
 Item 20Tax Rolls Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1966
 Item 21Tax Rolls Delinquent Tax Record City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1937-1955
 Item 22Tax Rolls Delinquent Tax Record City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1937-1951
 Item 23Tax Rolls Delinquent Tax Record City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1937-1949
 Item 24Tax Rolls Delinquent Tax Record City and Dallas County Improvement District,1937-1947
 Item 25Tax Rolls Delinquent Tax Record City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1937-1944
 Item 26Tax Rolls Assessment Against Property in City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1954
 Item 27Tax Rolls Assessment Against Property in City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1952
 Item 28Tax Rolls Assessment Against Property in City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1955
 Item 29Tax Rolls Assessment Against Property in City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1950
 Item 30Tax Rolls Assessment Against Property in City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1953
 Item 31Tax Rolls Assessment Against Property in City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1946
 Item 32Tax Rolls Assessment Against Property in City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1951
 Item 33Tax Rolls Assessment Against Property in City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1940
 Item 34Tax Rolls Assessment Against Property in City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1947
 Item 35Tax Rolls Assessment Against Property in City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1928
 Item 36Tax Rolls Assessment Against Property in City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1941
 Item 37Tax Rolls Delinquent Tax Record City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1937-1953
 Item 38Tax Rolls: Assessment against property in City and Dallas County Improvement District, 1967
 Item 39City and County Levee Municipalities and other levees, 1968
 Item 40Report of lands and town lots assessed on the tax rolls of Dallas County, Texas for the year 1966 which are delinquent for taxes for 1966
 Item 41Delinquent tax record of lands, lots or part of lots returned delinquent or reported sold to the State of Texas and Not redeemed for the year 1967
 Item 42Delinquent tax record City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1937-1946
 Item 43Delinquent tax record City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1937-1959
 Item 44Delinquent tax record City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1937- 1957
 Item 45Delinquent tax record City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1965
 Item 46Delinquent tax record City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1963
 Item 47Delinquent tax record City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1961
 Item 48Levee Districts No. 4, Delinquent tax record City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1961
 Item 49Levee Districts No. 4, Delinquent tax record City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1962
 Item 50Levee Districts No. 4, Delinquent tax record City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1963
 Item 51Levee Districts No. 5, Delinquent tax record City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1961
 Item 52Levee Districts No. 5, Delinquent tax record City and County of Dallas Levee Improvement District, 1962
 Item 53Tax roll for the year assessment against property in Dallas Levee Improvement District, No. 5, 1952-1960
​​​Oversized scrapbook
​​​Flood and Levee Scrapbook, 1932-1935​