166 OUR NATIONAL FORESTS 



carried on to determine in what way the adminis- 

 tration of the National Forests can keep the de- 

 structive processes of erosion at a minimum have 

 shown that the balance between the stability of the 

 soil and rapid erosion on many slopes is so delicate 

 that only a slight abuse may result in complete loss 

 of the fertile top soil and permanent changes in the 

 character of the vegetation. 



In August, 1909, the town of Ephraim, on the 

 Manti National Forest, Utah, experienced a disas- 

 trous flood from Ephraim canyon, which was at- 

 tributed in part to the overgrazed condition on the 

 watershed. An examination made the next spring 

 clearly demonstrated that the severity of the flood 

 was a direct result of deterioration of forest, brush, 

 and grass cover, due to overgrazing during a long 

 period of years. The canyon was therefore closed 

 to grazing as an immediate protective measure. 

 Plans were thereafter made to restore the forest 

 cover of the canyon by planting. 



In this kind of protection work, as in the case of 

 forest fires, it has been found that preventive meas- 

 ures are much more efi^ective and much less costly 

 than remedial measures. The regulations under 



