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Senator Pressler and Members of the Cominittee 

 September 4, 1993 

 Page 2 



studies indicate that a significant amount of the snow falling on 

 a forest is intercepted by the Ponderoea Pine and is then lost to 

 the atmosphere through evaporation and sublimation. 



Good management in the Black Hills Forests which includes 

 periodic thinning will maintain water yield. Allowing large 

 areas of dense old growth and new growth trees will increase 

 evapotransporation, will increase interception of moisture and 

 reduce stream flows. 



As manager of the Belle Fourche Irrigation District, I have to be 

 concerned for stream flows. If the water yield of one of our 

 watersheds is reduced by only 1 inch over 100,000 acres; this 

 would result in a reduction of 8, 300 acre feet of water. Enough 

 water to irrigate 5, 000 acres of land with 12 inches of water at 

 the field. 



The original Black Hills had much less forest than it does now. 

 This is apparent by the water supplies that were available 85 

 years ago compared to that which is available now. The Belle 

 Fourche Irrigation District had a more dependable source of water 

 than at present. The District is now going through a $50,000,000 

 rehabilitation program to help conserve water within the project. 

 A water conservation plan has been instituted and submitted to 

 the Bureau of Reclamation. This must be updated every 5 years. 



Therefore, the District would object to establishing a Wilderness 

 Area that could reduce the available water supplies without a 

 very thorough Environmental Impact Study that would address the 

 water supply situation. Any establishment of a Wilderness Area 

 that would reduce water supplies in the drainage area and that 

 could have an adverse impact on existing water appropriations 

 must provide a corresponding increase in water yield in another 

 area of that drainage area. 



The Irrigation District asks you to study the information put out 

 by the Forest Service regarding the need for proper management of 

 the forested areas in order to reap the greatest overall benefits 

 of the forest lands. The District also hopes that you will seek 

 our comments on any actions that may be taken. Thank you. 



Sincerely, 



e9iJ.,j^z^ 



James E. Winterton, P. E. 



Project Manger, Belle Fourche Irrigation District 



