Final answer:
The 1930s drought had widespread negative impacts, leading to barren land unfit for farming and population shifts as rural inhabitants moved in search of work. The possibility of transforming arid land for agriculture through irrigation was one indirect benefit that could potentially align with exposing new areas for settlement.
Step-by-step explanation:
How the 1930s drought benefited those who lived on the shore of the lake is not directly covered by typical historical accounts of the period, which tend to focus on the widespread hardship caused by the drought, such as decreased agricultural productivity and desertification processes, like those experienced during the Dust Bowl. However, historical records indicate that the 1930s drought had a profound impact on communities, agriculture, and urban development. For instance, the creation of dams and aquifers led to the prospect of irrigation, which offered the possibility of transforming arid land for agricultural use and supporting urban growth in some regions of the West. The drought exposed difficulties and led to population shifts as people moved in search of work and a better life, especially in rural areas where the land became barren and unfit for growing crops.