INTRODUCTION 



The Soil and Water Conservation Needs Inventory for Montana was developed 

 as a part of the National Inventory of Soil and Water Conservation Needs 

 established by the Secretary of Agriculture (appendix 1) „ Data for this 

 report were developed in accordance with the objective, policies, and pro- 

 cedures and within the assumption established for the National Inventory. 



The U.S. Department of Agriculture, other federal agencies, state agencies, 

 and organizations have a constant need for current information on conser- 

 vation needs that will aid in carrying out their responsibilities in pro- 

 viding for adequate conservation of the Nation' s soil and water resources, 

 A systematic collection of facts is needed for each county, watershed and 

 river basin regarding soil and water resources, problems in their use, and 

 an estimate of areas needing treatment to maintain and improve their public 

 services. The Inventory assembles such facts for Montana. 



Soil, water, forest, range, and wildlife conservation is the protection, 

 use, maintenance, and improvement of these resources to best serve both 

 private and public interest in providing adequate food, fiber, forest pro- 

 ducts, recreation, and wildlife now and in the future. Conservation is 

 accomplished through making adjustments in land use; protecting land 

 against soil deterioration; rebuilding eroded and depleted soils, sta- 

 bilizing runoff and sediment-producing areas; improving cover on crop, 

 forest, pasture and range, and wildlife land; retaining water for farm 

 and ranch use and to reduce water and sediment damage; and water manage- 

 ment, distribution, and disposal obtained by draining or irrigating land. 

 Areas with excess or inadequate water (or having adverse climatic condi- 

 tions) were considered as needing conservation treatment when necessary 

 for solution of land use or management problems on farms and ranches, but 

 were not included when treatment was primarily to develop new land or for 

 more intensive use of land in production. 



For the purpose of this Inventory, conservation needs were expressed in 

 terms of the acres that require treatment in order to maintain production 

 in line with the national interest as interpreted from the economic frame 

 work. Consideration was given to regional and local conditions and the 

 needs of the people for f ami ly income. 



Inventory estimates were made in accordance with the following assumptions 

 (National assumptions are stated first under each number, followed by fur- 

 ther interpretation in relation to Montana conditions) s 



1. There will be a population increase in the United States for the 

 period 1953 to 1975 from 162 to 210 million. The projected in- 

 crease in population and moderate rise in per capita consumption 

 of farm products will increase requirements in 1975 to about i^P 

 percent above 1953. Since production is in excess of utilization, 

 an increase in farm output of around 30 percent will meet pro- 

 jected requirements. 



