258 



THE SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE 



the choking of culverts and smaller bridges; and the covering of 

 valuable valley lands with relatively unproductive erosional debris. 

 The pollution of irrigation, power, and pure water streams with exces- 

 sive loads of loam and clay washed away from the steeper slopes has 

 resulted in considerable damage to fish life. Enormous quantities of 

 detritus have been washed away from the rich agricultural lands along 

 the lower slopes and valleys. 



The accompanying illustration * shows the relation of character- 

 istic slope profiles to the nature of erosion. 



FIG. 128. Red pine and black locusts planted by Civilian Conservation Corps 

 boys along check dams in Clermont County, Ohio. 



Methods of Procedure. The requirements of each type of land, 

 proper consideration being given to soil types, slopes, precipitation, 

 and cover, determine the measures to be applied. It is necessary to 

 coordinate the experience of the forester, the agronomist, the soil spe- 

 cialist, the erosion specialist, and the agricultural engineer, and fre- 

 quently the game management specialist. It is an established prin- 

 ciple of the Soil Conservation Service to enter any affected area only 

 on the invitation of the landowners involved. The procedure is to 

 require 50% of the owners or more to cooperate and make definite 



* From Transactions of the American Geophysical Union's Fifteenth Annual 

 Meeting, 1934, by W. C. Lowdermilk. 



