Organizing for Watershed Development

Conservation of soil and water resources has received a great deal of attention in the last two or three decades. Much emphasis has been placed on better farming practices and on land treatment. The latter included such work as terraces, contour fanning, small ponds, small erosion - control structures, and grassed waterways. However, there is an additional phase which has received much less attention. This is the further reduction of soil loss and flood damage by building floodwater retarding dams, large grade stabilizing structures, channel improvement features, bank stabilizing structures, and other protective works. This may require a watershed program. Speeding up the application of better farming practices and land treatment plus the construction of erosion and water-control installations where needed, along with changes in major land use, constitute a watershed program. The watershed is the area of work. In some instances a water supply, irrigation, drainage, or recreation may be the important feature. Although some Federal assistance has been available for construction of grade-control and flood-prevention structures, it was not until recently that a national watershed program was provided to assist local groups with this work. To initiate, plan, construct, finance, and maintain a watershed program, or to participate effectively in one undertaken cooperatively with the Federal Government, local people must be able to work together and to assume certain responsibilities. The purpose of this report is to indicate ways in which this can be done and to outline the responsibilities the local people may need to assume. It is recognized that some states have adequate legislation for local groups to undertake watershed programs