The collection (1936-1984, n.d.) includes conservation plans, correspondence, project reports, policies and procedures, budget and financial information, damage reports, design criteria, work and design plans, criteria for watershed treatment, treatment plans, legal documents, meeting minutes, photographs, reports and various data and statistics gathered on the watershed and its subwatersheds. The collection does not contain the personal papers of Tonsfeldt, but consists of materials collected and created by Tonsfeldt relating to the Little Sioux Watershed Project. Most of the collection consists of materials on specific projects, studies, plans, costs and work performed. Folders on areas of the watershed and subwatersheds (drainage areas of a watershed) often contain background information, statistics and reports on conservation work. The photographs contain images of erosion problems, damages and flood control measures of waterways, cropland, pastures, roadways, buildings and other properties. Descriptions on the back of the photographs contain the location and explanation of what was photographed, giving details of conservation measures used. The photographs and descriptions depict specific erosion problems and actions taken in a particular area not often found in the other documents of the collection. Much of the USDA correspondence is between conservationists and the Little Sioux Works Committee. Correspondents include George E. Lamp, Sr. (state conservationist), L. J. Larson, and Frank H. Mendell (state conservationist). The correspondence covers topics such as policies and procedures, budgets and finance, meetings, treatment plans, decisions and project priorities. The collection also contains some documents from work done prior to the 1946 authorization, such as correspondence and a survey of the area contained in the folder entitled Watershed Description and Basic Physical Data (Box 9, Folder 14). The survey consists of a description of the area, background information, physical analysis of the area, and a soil erosion and damage report. For related collections, please see the Little Sioux Watershed Records (MS 106), Alden J. Erskine Papers (MS 85), George and Sewell Allen Papers (MS 81), and John D. Beardsley Papers (MS 79). The Special Collections Department at Iowa State University also holds a number of collections related to soil conservation and soil conservation districts such as the Iowa Soil Conservation Districts Records (MS 185), the National Association of Conservation Districts Records (MS 460), and the Hugh Hammond Bennett Papers (MS 164).
