Combs, Don 1981-05-12
Don Combs discusses his life in West Texas and his involvement with irrigation.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Don Combs
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: May 12, 1981
Location: Munday, Texas
Interviewer: Richard Mason
Length: 1 hour, 50 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1:
To West Texas to dig wells (January 1951),
Anecdote about digging wells,
Drilled well at Texas Tech (1934-1935),
Geology of the Plains area,
Irrigation,
Cost of,
Wells,
Discussion of underground water movement,
Rainfall recharges underground water supply,
Origin of water in water table,
Little water in table prior to 1900,
Water table on plains,
Continuously decreasing,
Changes in agriculture resulting from wells,
Affect on land prices,
Economy,
Price increases,
Irrigation (again),
Diversification of crops,
Helped community
Tape 1, Side 2:
Time when crops diversified,
Potato crop,
Labor,
Wages,
Machines,
Cut down on manual labor,
Crops raised,
Fruits,
Vegetables,
Most raise wheat or cotton,
Running out of land,
More people going to go back to farming,
Industry,
Plans to get food processing plant,
Prices discussed,
Cooperatives have helped farmers obtain fair prices,
Costs of processing,
Cooperatives have helped
Tape 2, Side 1:
Problem with pollution,
Nitrates in water,
Possible causes,
Role of irrigati,on,
Contamination from oil drilling,
Changes in drilling methods,
Irrigation (again),
Methods he prefers,
Crops (again),
Need water,
Fruits and vegetables,
Prices
Tape 2, Side 2:
To Munday, Texas (January, 1951),
Dug wells,
Farmers came together to have well dug,
Comparison to plains wells,
Irrigation (again),
Progress in agricultural technology and methods,
Lake discussed,
Provides water for towns,
Each town mush apply for state approved water supply,
Water table discussed,
Land prices,
Irrigation costs (again),
Water supply,
Finding water
Range Dates: 1951-1960
Bulk Dates: 1951-1960
Access Information
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Recording Format Notes:
Transcript:
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