Severe periods of both flood and drought displaced communities and devastated farmlands over the years. The onslaught of such disasters pushed the state of Texas to develop flood and drought control management policies. The devastation caused by the Dust Bowl in the 1930s was partly caused by poor land management and severe soil erosion. This spurred the Soil Conservation Act in 1936, which provided federal monetary assistance to farmers who reduced agricultural production in order to better conserve their land. Technological developments such as the Graham-Hoeme Plow, “The Plow to Save the Plains,” were designed to work farmland while still protecting soil from wind erosion. Dams became another essential construction when it came to flood and drought management. In the wake of Hurricane Beulah, President Lyndon B. Johnson advocated heavily for the creation of additional dams to prevent future flooding caused by hurricanes and tropical storms. The Falcon and Amistad Dams, owned and operated by the International Boundary and Water Commission, continue to play a critical role in protecting the Lower Rio Grande Valley from hazardous flood waters.