SSCC MEETING 



A very busy two-day meeting characterized the 



"(last meeting of the State Soil Conservation Comm- 

 ittee. 



A delegation from Chouteau County SWCD and the 

 Highwood Creek Watershed presented an application 

 for flood control under P. L. 566. Recent heavy 

 I rains in that area had caused considerable damage 



I to property. The City of Shelby sent a delega- 

 tion asking for a speed-up in planning and con- 

 struction of flood control dams. Flooding of 

 the town was again experienced this year. A del- 

 egation from Miles City also told that they were 

 anxious to get a study of the Carbon Hills area 

 completed so that plans could be made to allevi- 

 ate floods there. 



An amended application from the Sidney Water 



'^Users' Association to Include more land for irri- 

 gation in Montana and North Dakota was approved 

 for planning. 



An application from the Bitterroot Valley and 

 Missoula SWCD's and Boards of County Commissioner 

 lo seek assistance in planning Resource Conser- 

 vation Development projects in the Bitteroot 

 Valley of Ravalli and Missoula Counties was 

 favorably acted on for submission to the Soil 

 Conservation Service. Many groups and many poss- 

 ibilities for development are involved. The 

 Committee discussed the need to develop new cri- 

 teria for setting priorities on Watershed Plan- 



Mning so that a firm basis can be established and 

 followed. 



Don Williams, SCS Administrator, visited with 

 the Committee and reviewed the SCS Budget and 

 gave an encouraging report on SCS activities. In 

 commenting on the district programs, he stated 

 that "success goes where people are ready to move 

 out". 



Executive Secretary, 0. M. Ueland, reported 



"''that he had visited each district since the first 

 of the year in connection with reviewing the 

 "Inventory of Resource Conservation and Develop- 



''Hment Needs" and the District's programs. His 

 iactivlties for the last three months also inclu- 



'^jded working with John Waldren & Bob Cooney of 

 Ithe Fish & Game Department in conducting a Rec- 



j'lreatlon Inventory, participating in Montana Con- 



■ jservation Council meetings, working with the 

 Little Beaver SWCD on Ground Water and Water 

 Pollution problems, meeting with Governor Babcock 

 meeting of Natural Resource Council of State and 

 Federal Agencies, Montana Stockgrowers meeting, 

 NACD Public Lands Meeting in Denver, working 

 |with the MASWCD for legislation on 160 acre lim- 

 litatlon problem, working on a project proposal 

 'for Neighborhood Youth Corps, and editing of two 

 lissues of Treasure Acres. 



J NYC Project Proposal for SWCD was considered by. 

 Ithe State Soil Conservation Committee and it w&'s 

 |decided that the beginning of a school year 

 would not be a good time to start this. It will 

 [again be considered in the spring of 1966 for a 

 Isummer program. 



MASWCD DIRECTOR'S MEETING IN LEWISTOWN WELL 

 ATTENDED 



All but one Director and many of their wives, 

 representing the seven MASWCD Areas of Montana, 

 were in attendance at their midsummer meeting 

 in Lewistown, June 30. 



Don Williams, Soil Conservation Service Admin- 

 istrator from Washington, D. C, was a special 

 guest, as was Bob McClelland, NACD Western Pro- 

 gram Advisor from Denver, and Mrs. Oscar Hippe, 

 NACD Auxiliary President. Mr. Williams answered 

 many questions asked of him concerning SWCD and 

 SCS Programs. He also told of his Inspection 

 trip into Montana and was very much impressed 

 with the conservation developments in the Dis- 

 tricts he visited: Wibaux, Dawson, and Richland. 



President Kesler thanked the group for the 

 help In opposing the $20 million budget out of 

 SCS and declared the Soil Conservation Service 

 is becoming more Important. He also spoke of 

 the need to develop Montana water and the coming 

 demand for Montana water elsewhere. 



John Schroeder, Dick Setterstrom, Ken Coulter, 

 Ralph Brlggs, Art Chrlstensen, Oscar Hlppe, 

 Gladys Hlppe, Pete Jackson, Lillian Jensen, 

 Herschell Hurd, Torllef Aashelm and Carl Johnson 

 all gave fine reports which indicated activity 

 and concern for Conservation Education, Public 

 Lands Program, Great Plains Programs, Legisla- 

 tion, Technical Help, Research, & Public Relations 



L. to R. - D, A. Williams, Bill Kesler, Art 

 Osburnsen, and Carl Zlnne 



D. A. Williams told the Association Officers 

 that the basic soil & water conservation Job has 

 changed, and It will change more In the future. 

 The day Is long gone when the sole purpose of 

 soil & water conservation was to prevent erosion. 



Fish & wildlife enhancement, recreational 

 opportunities, and preserving or enhancing nat- 

 ural beauty are. In the main, by-products of soil 

 & water conservation. They are not separate 

 programs. The Job today Is as big as the whole 

 out-of-doors. RC&D Projects and the RAD emphasis 

 are devices to encourage people through acceler- 

 ated or special help, to get conservation and 

 related things done. 



7. 



