To Help Control Floods 



611 



growth of many years of an increasing 

 realization of the importance of water- 

 sheds in control of floods and sedimen- 

 tation. It reflects a growing awareness 

 of the important interrelations between 

 the condition of the watershed soils 

 and vegetation and the rates of runoff. 



The Flood Control Act is a historic 

 marker in the growth of Federal legis- 

 lation. It recognizes that destructive 

 floods constitute a menace to the 

 national welfare. It declares that flood- 

 control investigations and improve- 

 ments of rivers and other waterways 

 and their watersheds are of general 

 concern. It fosters local responsibility 

 by providing that the Federal Govern- 

 ment participate with States and their 

 political subdivisions in the improve- 

 ment of the navigable waters and their 

 watersheds. 



The act provides that Federal inves- 

 tigations of watersheds and measures 

 for runoff and water-flow retardation 

 and soil-erosion prevention on water- 

 sheds shall be undertaken under the 

 direction of the Department of Agri- 

 culture, and that Federal investigations 

 and improvements of rivers and other 

 waterways for flood control and allied 

 purposes shall be under the direction 

 of the Chief of Engineers, Department 

 of the Army. The two Departments 

 work very closely together to handle 

 the Federal responsibilities for flood 

 control. The act also provides for ap- 

 propriate correlation of such activities 

 with investigations and river improve- 

 ments incidental to reclamation proj- 

 ects of the Bureau of Reclamation. 



WATERSHED FLOOD-CONTROL activi- 

 ties are of two principal kinds : Investi- 

 gations (preliminary examinations and 

 surveys) of authorized watersheds, and 

 installation of the watershed programs 

 set forth in survey reports approved by 

 Congress. 



Preliminary examination reports con- 

 tain such information as is necessary 

 to determine whether watershed-treat- 

 ment programs appear to be justified 

 and whether surveys should be made. 

 They are prepared largely from 



available data and generalized field 

 examinations. 



Survey reports describe the water- 

 sheds, their condition, flood history and 

 flood damages, and outline remedial 

 watershed programs and their esti- 

 mated costs and benefits. They are pre- 

 pared on the basis of field studies. 



Both investigations and operations 

 are conducted on a watershed or sub- 

 watershed basis. This concept is con- 

 sistently followed from the initiation 

 of the preliminary examination to the 

 completion of the work program. The 

 surveys develop over-all estimates of 

 the types and quantities of remedial 

 measures and works, their anticipated 

 costs, and their physical and economic 

 benefits. They do not include plans for 

 the location or designs for the construc- 

 tion of specific works at specific sites. 

 Such detailed location plans and con- 

 struction designs are prepared as a part 

 of the flood-control work plans, the 

 first step in carrying out authorized 

 operations on the ground. 



The proposed watershed-improve- 

 ment programs are recommended to 

 Congress for flood-control operations, 

 where the estimated total benefits to 

 all interests concerned exceed the esti- 

 mated total costs. 



In developing these programs, con- 

 sideration is also given to the measures 

 and practices that will help conserve 

 water for beneficial use, reduce pollu- 

 tion, and benefit fish and wildlife. 



The survey reports include recom- 

 mendations for public lands as well as 

 for privately owned lands. Authorized 

 work is initiated on the basis of agree- 

 ments between the Department of 

 Agriculture and other public agencies 

 concerned. 



In general, measures and practices 

 installed on the lands not owned by the 

 Federal Government are maintained 

 by local interests. However, the De- 

 partment of Agriculture has a responsi- 

 bility in the public interest to see that 

 the installed improvements on such 

 lands are properly maintained. In the 

 case of any major works, special con- 

 sideration is given to Federal responsi- 



