9 subwatersheds totaling 376,530 acres, and on 29 minor watersheds, totaling 431,710 acres. There are 5,839 operating units in the project area of which 4,894 had become district cooperators and 3,569 had developed basic farm conservation plans as of June 30, 1963. It is estimated that more than 60 percent of the planned land treatment measures had been applied as of this date. On the two watersheds where all structural measures are completed 90 percent of the planned land treatment measures have been established. Conservation cropping systems had been established on 23,645 acres; pasture planting on 60,162 acres; grasses, legumes, and trees planted on approximately 125,044 acres of critical land; 582 miles of roadside erosion control; and 328 miles of diversions. Thirty-five of the 84 floodwater retarding structures planned in subwatershed plans had been constructed as of June 30, 1963, and 14 floodwater retarding structures were under contract. Two hundred and eighty-one miles of channel improvement have been completed and 27 miles are under contract. Two subwatersheds and four minor watersheds had completed all the structural measures planned. Easements and rights-of-way valued at $380,000 have been obtained from 350 landowners. This work has been done by the water management district commissioners for each of the subwatersheds in operation. The project installations have proven effective in many ways. Over 375 landowners, who own 18,000 acres of flood plain land on the main stem of the Tallahatchie River in Union County, have benefited from the construction of 30 miles of channel improvements. The completion of the 15,802-acre Greasy Creek subwatershed project, consisting largely of 14 floodwater and sediment structures and treatment of about 4,000 acres of critical sediment producing areas, has resulted in eliminating $40,000 in damages that normally occur each year. Over 2 million pine seedlings were planted in the watershed to stabilize gullied areas. Over 1,000 acres of fertile flood plain land in upper Tallahatchie River, Tippah County, have been brought into high-value crops since five floodwater retarding structures and 5 miles of channel improvement were constructed in 1957. Although this stream was often severely flooded prior to 1957, very little flooding has occurred since then. Los Angeles River watershed, California Estimated total Federal cost. $48, 435, 349 17, 142, 830 The Los Angeles River project covers 536,960 acres, of which 73 percent is privately owned and 27 percent is Federal land in the Angeles National Forest. The Department of Agriculture is cooperating with the Los Angeles Flood Control District in the development of this project. Flood prevention works of improvement being installed supplement the improvements being made by the Corps of Engineers on the principal River channels. This watershed is characterized by high intensity rainstorms of short duration. Erosion in the watershed is severe during peak runoff and the sediment is deposited on the relatively flat valley floor during floodflows. Channel capacity from the steep canyons to the Los Angeles River is inadequate for normal winter runoff in most instances. When the project was authorized, about 116,065 acres were devoted to agriculture and grazing. In recent years there has been a material increase in urban development with a corresponding decrease in agricultural use. Because of the rapid urban development in the San Fernando Valley, practically all of the land treatment work on private land today consists of street drainage and storm drains planned and constructed entirely by local agenceis. On national forest land, during fiscal year 1963, a residence and necessary appurtenances were installed at the Clear Creek fire station. Site surveys and plans for improvements at the Angeles Crest and Bear Divide locations were prepared. A 315,000-gallon water tank installation was completed at the Chantry Flats station. Access was improved by survey and construction of 4.7 miles of road, the installation of 10 helispots and the maintenance of 196. Communications were improved by conversion of 45 stations and mobile radios from multiple to highland frequency. Eighteen miles of firebreak was constructed, 23 miles of firebreaks was maintained, 30 miles of preattack tractor line completed, four safety zones installed, and 5 miles of hazard reduction work along Angeles Crest and Chantry Flat roads accomplished. By cooperative agreement with Los Angeles County, three 10,000-gallon water tanks were installed at Grizzly Flats, Cliff Springs, and Indian Canyon. By cooperative agreement with Los Angeles County about 1 mile of the Little Tujunga Road was stabilized. Following the Newhall fire, numerous spot areas of the Wilson Canyon Road were also treated. Cover improvement accomplishment included the growing of 5,000 seedlings, the collection of 100 pounds of seed, the planting of 20 acres of critically eroding areas to shrubs or seed and cooperative cover improvement studies with the arboretum and other agencies or groups. Twelve subwatershed work plans involving 78,431 acres have been developed on the private land portion of the watershed. On 10 subwatersheds involving 76,434 acres, structural measures have been completed on 5 involving 34,659 acres, and partially completed on the remaining five. On two subwatersheds, structural measures have not been installed under the program and none are contemplated. Work completed to date includes 61 miles of stream channel improvement, 58.3 miles of streambank protection, 12.4 miles of stream channel stabilization, 262 grade stabilization structures, and 9 debris basins. For the total project, structural measures as based on estimated costs are about 86 percent complete. During the past year final plans and specifications for the last improvements on the second unit of Limekiln Creek were completed and, in April 1963, a construction contract was awarded by the sponsor. The work involves 1.46 miles of reinforced concrete open rectangular channel, a debris basin of 150,000 cubic yards capacity, bridges and other appurtenant works. Plans and designs for the improvement of Santa Susana Creek involving approximately 1.81 miles of reinforced concrete open rectangular channel, six highway bridges, one railroad bridge, and other appurtenant works are nearing completion. Although design storms have not occurred subsequent to completion of the various structures, there is much evidence which indicates the effectiveness of the measures installed. Runoff, which normally overtopped natural channels and resulted in considerable damage, is now being safely carried to the Los Angeles River and flood control basins installed. The channel improvement works constructed under this program have proven to be adequate for the area served. More than 10 inches of rainfall was recorded at San Fernando during the period February 7 to 12, 1962, inclusive, with 3.37 inches on February 11. Storm water runoff from this storm was adequately handled by all improvements previously completed under the program. There were many fires during the year that were quickly detected and suppressed by the use of facilities made available by the project. The value of the channel barriers was well demonstrated is Sombrero Canyon when a moderate winter storm occurred over this drainage that had been burned out by the Newhall fire in August. The emergency installation of five channel structures following the fire resulted in their trapping about 35,000 cubic yards of debris when the storm occurred that otherwise would have been deposited on improvements below. Potomac River watershed, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia Estimated total Federal cost Total obligations through June 30, 1963-- $31, 550, 308 7,883, 886 The authorized area of the Potomac River project included 4,205,400 acres in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. The principal problems are flooding and sedimentation of agricultural lands, and floodwater damage to towns, highways, and bridges. During 1963, a work plan was completed for the 181,248-acre Patterson Creek subwatershed in West Virginia, bringing to eight the number of subwatershed work plans authorized for installation. Four of the approved subwatersheds are in Virginia, totaling 239,305 acres, and four are in West Virginia totaling 409,572 acres. Land treatment measures, primarily forestry measures, in the 67,961-acre Upper North River subwatershed in Virginia are approximately 50 percent complete. One of the three floodwater retarding structures proposed has been built and the Forest Service is developing a recreation area around the sediment pool of this structure. A second structure is planned for installation during 1964. A multipurpose floodwater retarding and water supply structure was built during 1963 in the South River subwatershed in Virginia. In addition, a contract was awarded for installation of planned channel improvement work. Eleven floodwater retarding structures had been previously installed in this watershed. Planned land treatment measures are about 90 percent complete. All work has been completed in the 9,514-acre Tumbling River subwatershed in Virginia. All features included in the 5,130-acre Gap Run subwatershed in Virginia have been completed, and the maintenance agreement has been executed. Land treatment work is progressing well in the 36,208-acre New Creek-Whites Run subwatershed in West Virginia. Construction was started on two floodwater retarding structures during fiscal year 1963, one of which includes shortage for municipal water supply for the city of Keyser. Construction is scheduled for one additional structure during 1964. Five of the twelve planned floodwater retarding structures had been previously completed. Seventy-one percent of the planned land treatment practices have been applied in the 184,852-acre South Fork subwatershed in West Virginia. Progress on the 24 planned structures remains ahead of schedule with 8 completed (2 during 1963), and 3 more under construction. Construction is planned to get underway on two additional structures in 1964. Land treatment and construction work have started in the Patterson Creek subwatershed in West Virginia. Almost 8 percent of the planned land treatment has been applied and construction is underway on 2 of the 35 planned floodwater retarding structures. Detailed design is scheduled for four structures in 1964, including the multipurpose reservoir for Fort Ashly. Santa Ynez River watershed, California Estimated total Federal cost. $10, 718, 000 4,842, 701 The Santa Ynez project covers 576,000 acres, of which about 10 percent is in subwatersheds in the westerly portion of the basin where the Soil Conservation Service is currently installing works of improvement. Work in this portion of the watershed is scheduled for completion in the fiscal year 1964. Forest Service activities are concerned with fire prevention and control and installation of land treatment measures in national forest and other forested areas in the mountainous western portion of the watershed. Work in this portion is scheduled for completion by 1971. A major problem in the project area is floodwater damage to farmlands which are intensively used for vegetable and flower seed production. Floodflows also cause damage to homes, highways, railroads, and multimillion-dollar defense installations. Structural measures are designed to prevent degrading of entrenched gullies and to confine floodwater to improved channels across the flood plains. Land treatment measures, including fire prevention, are applied to prevent erosion and to improve soil fertility. More than 97 percent of the land treatment measures in the Soil Conservation Service portion of the watershed have been applied. Of the 267 operating farms in the subwatersheds, 169 are district cooperators and 130 of these have basic conservation farm or ranch plans. Most significant land treatment measures installed to date include 22 debris basins, 35,943 linear feet of diversions, 162 farm ponds, 198,750 linear feet of floodways, 412 grade stabilization structures, and 29, 900 acres of proper range use. Planned structural measures on six of the nine subwatersheds had been completed as of June 30, 1963, and work was nearly complete on the seventh. Due to low benefit-to-cost ratios, no structural measures are proposed in the two remaining subwatersheds. Structural measures completed as of this date include 18 miles of floodwater diversions and floodways, 120 channel stabilization structures, 7 debris basins, 3 miles of streambank protection, 3.7 miles of stream channel stabilization, 6.2 miles of stream channel improvement, and 127 acres of critical area planting. Easements and right-of-way valued at $357,600 have been recorded for 74 parcels of land for structural measures installed by the local sponsors to June 30, 1963. Easements and rights-of-way for the Rodeo-San Pasqual subwatershed were secured by the local sponsors at a cost of $88,100. In addition, the moving of utilities, construction of bridges and other non-Federal costs are estimated at $263,700. Four miles of reinforced concrete channel, a debris basin and inlet and outlet structures were completed in the fiscal year 1963. This floodway will provide proection for valuable farmlands in the lower valley and a portion of the Pacific issile Range of the Navy. Activities of the Forest Service included construction of two residences and an eight-man barracks-garage combination building at the San Marcos fire station site with one-half of the cost being borne from project funds. Six and three-quarters miles of the Camino Cielo firebreak, about 130 feet wide, was completed. Foot trail betterment was completed on 4.9 miles, and 9.4 miles of foot trail previously installed was maintained. High-intensity rainfall has tested the adequacy of all structures installed. All are functioning as planned except the unlined Miguelito Channel which is unable to handle the increasing runoff from areas going into urban development. Ranchers are able to raise truck crops on fields formerly inundated, and farm to town arteries have been kept open and free from water and debris. Trinity River watershed, Texas Estimated total Federal cost-- Total obligations through June 30, 1963-. $92, 600, 889 36, 540, 955 The authorized area of the Trinity River project consists of the upper 8,424,260 acres of the Trinity River watershed and is divided into 52 subwatersheds for work plan development and project installation. The principal problems are floodwater and sediment damage to agricultural lands, practically all of which are privately owned. Sponsors are the local soil conservation districts and, in most instances, county units of government. More than 62 percent of the planned land treatment has been applied. Of the 39,094 operating units in the watershed, 26,184 are district cooperators, and 22,089 have basic conservation plans. Good progress has been made in the application of land treatment measures in most subwatersheds. For example, in the lower one-third of the watershed, including major portions of Chambers and Richland Creeks subwatersheds, 10,000 miles of the 16,000 miles of terraces needed have been completed with 150 miles built in the 1963 fiscal year. Of the 20,000 acres of grassed waterways needed, 12,000 acres are established, with 300 acres being established this past year. Of the 340,000 acres needing grass establishment (pasture planting and range seeding), 198,000 acres have been established, with 18,500 being established in 1963. There is an increasing trend in the Blackland Prairie land resource area toward cropland being converted to grassland. These conversions will reduce materially the number of waterways and terraces, and other cropland measures needed and will tend to speed up completion of needed land treatment. Construction has been completed on 378 floodwater retarding structures and 16.2 miles of channel improvement. In addition, construction contracts have been awarded on 45 floodwater retarding structures, 7.2 miles of channel improvement, and 3 grade stabilization structures. Vegetative work has been completed on 257 of the completed structures and the local sponsors have assumed responsibility of operation and maintenance. Forty-two floodwater retarding structures are scheduled for construction in fiscal year 1964, at an estimated Federal cost of $1,892,310. To date, the installation of structural measures has been completed in five subwatersheds, comprising an area of 910,674 acres. Structural measures installed in these subwatersheds consist of 28 floodwater retarding structures. Good progress continues to be made by local sponsoring organizations in securing easements and rights-of-way needed for the installation of planned structural measures. In the 18 active subwatersheds in operation at the present time, over 600 floodwater retarding structure sites remain to be cleared for construction. Of the nearly 3,500 easements and/or permits required to clear these sites, approximately one-third have been secured to date. Additional assistance was made available to the sponsoring local organizations in an effort to accelerate work on easements and rights-of-way in fiscal year 1963. The Service assigned personnel to work as land rights specialists in each of the five areas of the watershed to furnish technical assistance to the sponsors in connection with needed easements and rights-of-way. This assistance has resulted in a material increase in the number of easements obtained by the sponsoring local organizations. The progress in securing easements and rights-of-way has been the result of cooperative efforts by soil conservation districts, water control and improvement districts, counties and special groups and individuals. Nineteen county commissioners courts have entered into agreement to cosponsor projects to assist other sponsoring organizations in carrying out local responsibilities for operation and maintenance and obtaining easements needed for structural measures. No general major storms occurred in the watershed during fiscal year 1963. However, installed floodwater retarding structures provided flood protection in isolated areas to crops, pastures, fences, livestock, roads, and urban areas. For example, a major storm occurred in the Parker County portion of the Clear Fork watershed on July 26-27, 1962. Rainfall ranging from 10 to 12 inches was reported in some sections of the watershed. This rainfall approached a 100-year frequency storm. Only minor flooding was reported along the Clear Fork main channel below the 33 completed floodwater structures. The county commissioner of precinct No. 1, Parker County, states, "I figure the flood prevention dams in my precinct saved the county over $10,000 in flood damage during the July rains. I wish I had more of these dams." Local interests in the adjacent Rock and Dry Creek watershed, in which no floodwater retarding structures have been installed, estimated that floodwater and sediment damages from the July storm exceeded $300,000. A major storm occurred in the Chambers Creek watershed, in the vicinity of Corsicana, Tex., on April 28, 1963. Rainfall in a 3-hour period ranged from 5.5 to 6.0 inches in Corsicana and on a small creek watershed that drains through the western part of the city. It was estimated that the 1 floodwater-retarding structure, located in the small creek watershed, prevented several thousand dollars of damages to 50 homes. Residents of the area below the structure stated that severe flooding would have occurred if the floodwater-retarding structure had not been in operation. Heavy rains on July 26-27, 1962, in the vicinity of Crandall, Tex., proved the effectiveness of the installed floodwater-retarding structures in the lower East Fork laterals watershed. Rainfall of 11.4 inches in a 6-hour period was recorded at Crandall. This would approach a 200-year frequency storm. It was estimated that the 12 installed floodwater-retarding structures prevented damages in excess of $100.000. Recreational use of the sediment pools of installed floodwater-retarding structures continues to increase. Most of the pools have been stocked with fish and are furnishing good fishing. Many of the sites are open to the public for fishing, boating, and picnicking with permission from the landowner, or for a small admission fee. Washita River watershed, Oklahoma and Texas Estimated total Federal cost__. $74, 950, 559 39, 374, 276 The authorized area of the Washita River flood prevention project covers 5,095,040 acres which has been divided into 64 subwatersheds for purposes of work plan development, local participation, and project operations. About 94 percent of the authorized area is in Oklahoma and 6 percent is in Texas. The Texas portion was approved for operations in July 1959 and is scheduled for completion in the fiscal year 1965. Local sponsors of each subwatershed are soil and water conservation districts, watershed associations, county commissioner's courts, and city councils. Guidance is furnished by the Washita Council. The problems include upland erosion and floodwater damages on 265,000 acres of bottom land. There are 112,000 acres along the main stem of the Washita needing protection. Work plans for each subwatershed project include installation of land treatment and structural measures. The structures are floodwater-retarding and multi-purpose reservoirs, and channel improvements. Storage is provided for irrigation, fish and wildlife, and municipal water supply in some reservoirs. Severely eroded areas are treated with land stabilization practices. As of June 30, 1963, about 71 percent of the farmers and ranchers in the Oklahoma portion and 75 percent of those in the Texas portion of the watershed had developed soil conservation plans. About two-thirds of the needed soil conservation practices had been applied on the land in Oklahoma and 80 percent in Texas. In the Custer City area at the upper end of the Beaver and Bear Creek watersheds 280 miles of terraces were built in 1963. In the Washita County Soil and Water Conservation District there were 424 miles of terraces built, 303 acres of waterways built, and 83 basic farm and ranch plans prepared in 1963. Pasture planting of midland bermuda on bottom-land soils is becoming more and more popular in the upper half on the Washita. The upper Washita district now operates five spriggers for this purpose. Some of these bermuda plantings are replacing wheat and cotton. In the lower part of the Washita |