struggling hopelessly to win a livelihood from infertile or 

 eroded soils, a national program of reselection and wiser use 

 of land is of major importance. Such a program, involving 

 of course resettlement, is basic to rural rehabilitation. It is 

 basic to most specific programs of betterment, such as pro- 

 vision generally throughout rural districts of adequate 

 educational facilities, or good roads or electricity. 



Another illustration, in the right direction and especially 

 pertinent to our discussion, is the Wisconsin Act of 1935 

 "relating to relief of low-water conditions of navigable rivers 

 and lakes. " 14 This act permits surplus waters, under 

 authority of the public service commission, to be diverted and 

 stored for beneficial use. Independent of this legislation 



during the last year or so the Wisconsin Emergency Relief Administration 

 has constructed a great many dams, principally in drainage districts in 

 north-central Wisconsin, to restore ground-water levels within these 

 drainage districts. In some locations the restoration of ground-water 

 levels was primarily to restore the water table for agricultural purposes 

 which had been excessively lowered by the drainage ditches and drought 

 periods. In other locations the dams were for the purpose of reflooding 

 marsh areas where drainage had been found unprofitable. Altogether, 

 several hundred of these dams have been constructed or are in prospect. 15 



In other States a water-conservation movement is gaining 

 headway. For instance, North Dakota also has an extensive 

 program of water conservation by damming both "dry 

 streams" coulees that carry water only during the season 

 of melting snows and rains and "wet streams" those that 

 do not carry water during the dry season, but do retain some 

 in holes. 



A large number of these created bodies of water are large and deep enough 

 to warrant the planting of fish, thereby creating a recreational center. 

 However, this is not the only purpose of this work; our program is to 

 build a series of dams in all the rivers and streams of the State to conserve 

 the "run-off water which otherwise has been carried down to the Gulf of 

 Mexico. 16 



South Dakota's experience has led that State to favor a 

 program of numerous small works. Oregon is transplanting 



14 Chapter 287, Laws of 1935. 



15 Letter from William M. Dinneen, Secretary, Public Service Commission, Oct. 11, 1935. 



16 Letter from A. J. Peterson, Commissioner, Game and Fish Department, Oct. 23, 1935. 



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