To attain full improvemant would require the adoption of numerous 
conservation practices, including reseeding to improved range and 
pasture species to increase the forage and extend the grazing 
season; the eradication or control of noxious plants; additional 
fencing; a considerable increase in reservoirs, wells, and other 
water facilities to improve the distribution of livestock; in- 
creased use of fertilizers; and improved management. Existing 
technology and materials are adequate for the attainment of such 
goals. 
Based on the current gross return from grazing lands, the net 
production is estimated to be worth $1.8 billion. A 50 percent 
increase in net income from these lands would be worth $900 million. 
About 20 percent of this increase could be obtained by preventing 
erosion. It is accordingly estimated that the loss from erosion 
on grased pasture and rangelands can be given a conservative 
evaluation of $180 million. 
On the assumption that the losses on nongrazed forest and wood- 
land are approximately half those on grazed lands, the loss on 
the 257 million acres of such lands would amount to an additional 
$25 million. 
Watershed Damage y Including Floodwater and Sediment 
Floodwater and sediment take a heavy toll from agriculture in 
the United States each year. In terms of 1942-51 price levels, 
the annual loss to agriculture alone is estimated to be about 
$557 million. These losses include damage to crops and pasture; 
land damage in the form of flood-plain scour, streambank erosion, 
gullying, and valley trenching; loss due to infertile overwash 
or deposition of sediment and swamping; damage to farm buildings, 
fences, roads, stcred crops, livestock, and irrigation and drain- 
age facilities; and indirect losses, such as delays in field 
werk and disruption or delays in marketing of farm products. 
These damage estimates are presented in two parts -- (1) those 
occurring upstream, or in tributary or headwaters of major rivers, 
and (2) those occurring downstream, or in major river valleys. 
In general, the term "upstream" refers to areas above existing, 
authorized, or preposed major floed-contrel structures, and 
"downstream" to areas below such structures, For the Nation as 
a whole, the annual upstream agricultural damage from floodwater 
and sediment amounts to about $391,77l,000 (Tables 33 and 3h). 
This constitutes the largest share of the total agricultural 
lesses from floodwater and sediment, perhaps as much as 70 per- 
cent, primarily because flooding is much more frequent on small 
tributary streams. However, a large amount of protection has 
already been provided to major river valleys by levees and 
flood walls, chennel improvements, and major reservoirs. Were 
it not for this protection downstream damage would be about 60 
0170 1s 
