The planning for the project appears to have begun when the CCC was developing the newly created Preparation Canyon State Park nearby.

Informal discussions were held between SCS engineer Robert Mayberry, local farmer Roy McCue, and CCC camp superintendent Ray Jones.

At the time federally funded soil conservation work on private land was considered an inappropriate use of taxpayer money.

The SCS also helped individual farmers convert from planting straight-rows of crops to contour farming on terraced benches.

At the same time 80 acres (32 ha) of badly eroded land were taken out of cultivation and placed into pasture or planted with trees.