SUMMARY 



Why the Inventory 



Although we are blessed with an abundance of land and water resources, they 

 are not inexhaustible. They must be cared for and used wisely for their pro- 

 ductiveness to continue. To assure their wise use basic facts are needed 

 about the physical problems of conservation, their magnitude and relative 

 urgency. This Inventory contains these basic facts. It will be modified 

 and kept current with advances in technologj'^ and increased knowledge. 



How the Inventory Was Made 



The Inventory was initiated in 1957 as part of a National Inventory author- 

 ized by the Secretary of Agriculture. It is based upon statistical sampling 

 and upon the knowledge and judgment of people well acquainted with conditions 

 in each county. Detailed soil surveys were made of l60-acre samples drawn in 

 a randomized, statistically sound manner. The data from these samples were 

 scientifically expanded to represent actual conditions in each county and the 

 state. The data were carefully considered by county committees who developed 

 the county reports which were reviewed by the State Committee and in turn by 

 the Department Committee in Washington, D. C. 



Who Did It 



The Inventory was developed by county committees composed of available rep- 

 resentatives of the agencies, institutions and groups listed at the begin- 

 ning of this report. The county committees received training, guidance and 

 assistance from both the Area Committee and the State Committee. 



Conservation Needs 



Soil and water conservation includes 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 areas; retaining water for farm and ranch use 

 and reducing water and sediment damage; and water management, distribution, 

 and disposal obtained by draining or irrigating land on existing farms or 

 ranches. 



The owners and users of the land would appear to have the immediate respon- 

 sibility for effecting conservation, and under mai^ circumstances they have 

 tiie primary interest in it. Many have taken direct action but others may not 

 be expected to evidence this interest until deterioration of the land or water 

 resource is obvious and the effects immediate and costly. Action can be ex- 

 pected when the anticipated direct returns will equal or exceed the costs, 

 usually from a relatively short-term point of view. 



Many individuals contribute much more than this to conservation for a great 

 many reasons. They look further ahead for their own direct benefits. They 

 include in their gains the pride in a job well done, the expectation that the 



