Back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s the pioneers who settled in the Arkansas Valley dug all the canals and sloped the fields to take advantage of redirecting the flow of the Arkansas River for flood irrigation. Whenever, there is plenty of snow for skiing in the mountains during the winter, the farmers in the Arkansas Valley know that there will be enough water to irrigate their crops at an optimal, stress-free level during the growing season. On this page are some pictures that demonstrate some of the techniques use to flood irrigate the fields. As indicated in the pictures, the popcorn plants thrive in this environment.