602 



Yearboo^ of Agriculture 1949 



management and protection of moun- 

 tain watershed lands. Most of the con- 

 cepts presented in this article were 

 learned while he was in charge of 

 watershed research for the Forest Serv- 

 ice in the Rocky Mountain Region. At 

 present he is applying research results 



to flood-control problems in the South, 

 with headquarters in New Orleans. 

 Dr. Wilm is a graduate of Colorado 

 College and Cornell University. He has 

 published numerous technical and 

 popular articles, and is an associate 

 editor of the Journal of Forestry. 



i 



n 



TOR/MBE 



"The watershed with good plant cover, litter, and humus (made up of the decayed and 

 decaying litter) functions like a blotter. It soaks up the water from rain or melting snow. 

 Some of this water goes back into the air later through evaporation from the ground 

 and plants. Some enters and is stored in the soil. Part of the stored water is held in the 

 soil for plant use; the rest slowly moves downward to feed the streams by underground 

 flow. When very heavy and long rains occur, the soil may be unable to take in all the 

 water that falls. The excess water then runs off over the surface, but at a slow rate." 

 (From Know Your Watersheds, U. S. D. A. Agricultural Information Series 67.) 



