FOREST KROSIOX CONTROL POLICY 271 



destroyed about two-thirds of the homes, and part of the remainder 

 have lost their irrigated land. The loss of land still continues. 



Forest Ranger Stations are often located along these creek valleys. 

 Nearly every year sees the entire or partial loss of agricultural land at 

 several stations on the Southwestern Forests. The fact that the Serv- 

 ice is directly a party to these losses makes it seem obvious that remedial 

 measures should be tested, developed, and demonstrated on Ranger 

 Stations wherever possible. Then, if the remedial measures are suc- 

 cessful, a little community leadership will soon cause them to be 

 adopted by at least the more progressive neighboring ranchmen. With 

 the high and growing value of ranch property, and the high and rising 

 prices of feeds, the chance for co-operative erosion control work among 

 ranch owners is probably a great deal brighter than most Forest officers 

 reaHze, and in the absence of special appropriations, is probably the 

 one practicable method of getting the work done. 



The technique of creek valley erosion control can not be discussed 

 here, because no technique has been developed. This paper is prin- 

 cipally a plea for recognition of the need for a technique. It may not 

 come amiss, however, to suggest briefly some of the methods, plans, 

 and ideas now adopted for testing out in the Southwestern District. 



The basis of all technique, considering the vast proportions of the 

 creek valley erosion problem and the lack of funds for expensive con- 

 struction works, must be some plant or plants which will hold banks. 

 Actual engineering works are financially out of the question at present, 

 except as temporary protection to enable the plants to get started. The 

 plants adopted must be susceptible of cheap propagation from cuttings, 

 must stand some drouth, make rapid growth, make a good mat of roots 

 both above and below water table, and should be unpalatable to stock. 

 The various bush willows answer all these requirements except the 

 last. Bush willows are being used and will doubtless be successful on 

 fenced lands where grazing is under control, or on un fenced lands 

 where there is no particular concentration of stock. Tamarisk also 

 holds out some promise. Some plant with all the qualities of bush 

 willow, bu^ with thorns or some other protection against heavy grazing, 

 still awaits discovery. Planting banks is of course of little avail where 

 a valley is already mostly gone. But, for that matter, no other method 

 can reclaim valleys already ruined, except at prohibitive expense. 



Check dams will probably not enter into creek valley technique. 

 Wing dams or jetties will, but instead of solid wings the present ten- 



