CONTENTS 



INTRODUCTION 1 



IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS .... 3 



Preplanned Project Life 3 



Grazing, a Major Problem 4 



Establishing Priorities 6 



Budget Levels 7 



SUMMARY 10 



ABSTRACT 



The Forest Service is responsible for protecting and managing 

 nearly half the major watersheds in the high mountain areas of the 

 Western States. By 1985, water demands of people in the Western 

 States probably will have doubled. Sites for storage and distribution 

 facilities to assure adequate and timely delivery of water are 

 limited, and in many areas alternate sites are nonexistent. Conse- 

 quently, the Forest Service must look ahead in its watershed 

 management planning to assure that such projects are given every 

 opportunity for continued efficient operation. 



Appropriate long-term planning means that use damaging to 

 watersheds must be stopped, damaged watersheds repaired, and 

 control of use gained before water storage projects are undertaken, 

 not afterward. The kind and level of land use on watersheds must 

 have protection as the primary goal rather than predicating protec- 

 tion and rehabilitation activities on desired land use patterns. 



Limited budgets demand a careful evaluation of stabilization 

 and rehabilitation activities in terms of costs, probable results, and 

 accomplishment of basic goals and objectives. Alternative measures 

 must be considere'din relation to effectiveness and overall efficiency 

 of water management. 



