SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE-Continued General and special funds: CONSERVATION OPERATIONS For necessary expenses for carrying out the provisions of the Act of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a-590f), including preparation of conservation plans and establishment of measures to conserve soil and water (including farm irrigation and land drainage and such special measures as may be necessary to prevent floods and the siltation of reservoirs); operation of conservation nurseries; classification and mapping of soil; dissemination of information; purchase and erection or alteration of permanent buildings; and operation and maintenance of aircraft, [$100,511,000] $104,103,000: Provided, That the cost of any permanent building purchased, erected, or as improved, exclusive of the cost of constructing a water supply or sanitary system and connecting the same to any such building and with the exception of buildings acquired in conjunction with land being purchased for other purposes, shall not exceed $2,500, except for one building to be constructed at a cost not to exceed $25,000 and eight buildings to be constructed or improved at a cost not to exceed $15,000 per building and except that alterations or improvements to other existing permanent buildings costing $2,500 or more may be made in any fiscal year in an amount not to exceed $500 per building: Provided further, That no part of this appropriation shall be available for the construction of any such building on land not owned by the Government: Provided further, That no part of this appropriation may be expended for soil and water conservation operations under the Act of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a590f), in demonstration projects: Provided further, That this appropriation shall be available for field employment pursuant to the second sentence of section 706(a) of the Organic Act of 1944 (5 U.S.C. 574), and not to exceed $5,000 shall be available for employment under section 15 of the Act of August 2, 1946 (5 U.S.C. 55a): Provided further, That qualified local engineers may be temporarily employed at per diem rates to perform the technical planning work of the service. (5 U.S.C. 511-512, 565a; 7 U.S.Č. 1387, 1807; 16 U.S.C. 690g-1; Department of Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1965.) Program and Financing (in thousands of dollars) Total.... Conservation surveys. 1 Includes capital outlay as follows: June 30, 1964, $2,091 thousand; 1965, $2,200 thousand; 1966, $2,200 thousand. 2 Selected resources as of June 30 are as follows: 95,951 1963 1964 1965 1966 136 181 181 181 1,320 1,835 1,835 1,835 1,456 2,016 2,016 2,016 Assistance to soil conservation districts, communities and other cooperators, consists mainly of the following: (a) Standard soil surveys and investigations, with interpretations and publications, which provide physical land facts needed for local program development, farm and ranch conservation planning, installation of planned practices and for use by other Federal, State and local agencies; Total soil surveys...--- -94 MAIN WORKLOAD FACTORS [In millions of acres] 1964 actual 1965 1966 estimate estimate 40.6 16.8 99,772 103,750 3,800 250 Total as of June 30, 1964 estimate estimate 1965 1966 40.0 16.5 57.4 526.5 56.5 2.6 296.0 2.5 60.0 1822.5 59.0 39.5 16.0 55.5 2.5 58.0 1 Cumulative areas mapped in districts, all programs. (b) Technical assistance to cooperating farmers and ranchers in the planning of individual conservation programs for orderly land use adjustments and installation of needed conservation treatments; (c) technical programing, installation services and consultation with those practices and measures provided for in farm and ranch conservation plans; (d) technical assistance to community groups with water facilities and control problems that can best be solved through coordinated local action; (e) the granting of special equipment acquired from Federal surplus to soil conservation districts for use in applying planned conservation practices; (f) water supply forecasts developed from snow surveys in Western States which are useful in making efficient seasonal use of water; (g) the selection and testing of plant materials to determine their suitability for erosion control and conservation purposes; (h) technical assistance to participants in the Agricultural Conservation Program in establishing specified practices; (i) technical services to participants in other programs involving land use adjustments along with resource improvements; (j) technical assistance in planning and applying the soil and water conservation practices for which loans are made by the Farmers Home Administration; (k) consultation and assistance to local rural areas development committees; and (1) program planning with consultation services in urban fringe areas. 1965 1966 estimate estimate Number.. 132.036 130,000 135,000 40 -20,000 -20,000 Basic plans (cumulative).... Landowners and operators assisted. Combinations of needed soil and water conservation practices are planned together and in relation to each other so as to have a well balanced conservation program in each district and for each farm or ranch. Both vegetative and structural measures are used in accordance with the needs of the land for conservation treatment and improvement. Each plan reflects the decisions of the cooperating farmer or rancher as to how he will use and treat his land. Technicians of the Soil Conservation Service explain the various soil conditions, develop alternative uses and treatments with each cooperator, help to evaluate the costs and returns of conservation farming, and furnish assistance in applying the needed treatment. 71 14 Receipts and reimbursements from nonFederal sources..... New obligational authority (proposed supplemental appropriation). Relation of obligations to expenditures: 70 Receipt and other offsets (items 11-17)... Obligations affecting expenditures.......... Expenditures.. 90 -20,000 -20,000 -20,000 Under proposed legislation, 1966. A reduction of $20,000 thousand is anticipated for 1966 under legislation being proposed to authorize the establishment of a public enterprise revolving fund to finance in part the cost of technical services provided to soil conservation districts and cooperating farmers, ranchers and other landowners in the design, layout, and installation of planned soil and water conservation practices. The proposed legislation would require that cooperating soil conservation districts or landowners and operators pay to the Service up to 50% of the cost of technical assistance furnished to help install planned practices on their lands. Receipts derived from this source and deposited in the fund would be available in their entirety for installation services. WATERSHED PLANNING For necessary expenses for small watershed investigations and planning, [$5,524,000] in accordance with the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1001-1008), to remain available until expended, $5,721,000, with which shall be merged the unexpended balances of funds heretofore appropriated under this head: Provided, That this appropriation shall be available for field employment pursuant to the second sentence of section 706(a) of the Organic Act of 1944 (5 U.S.C. 574), and not to exceed $50,000 shall be available for employment under section 15 of the Act of August 2, 1946 (5 U.S.C. 55a). (5 U.S.C. 511-512, Department of Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1965.) 05-20-1000-0-1-354 Personnel compensation: 11.3 11.1 Permanent positions. Positions other than permanent.... 11.5 Other personnel compensation.... 2,196 243 75,053 80,837 80,641 2,700 300 2,735 303 Total personnel compensation.. 77,492 12.0 Personnel benefits.. 22.0 Transportation of things... 21.0 Travel and transportation of persons. 23.0 Rent, communications, and utilities. 24.0 Printing and reproduction... 25.1 Other services.. 25.2 Services of other agencies.. 26.0 Supplies and materials.. 25.3 Payments to "Watershed protection". 31.0 Equipment... 32.0 Lands and structures.. 42.0 Insurance claims and indemnities.. Program and Financing (in thousands of dollars) 750-100-65-8 Authorized, current fiscal year.. Authorized, cumulative at June 30. Suspended or terminated at June 30. Completed, current fiscal year.. Completed, cumulative at June 30... In process at June 30.... Remaining to be planned at June 30 Completed plans not yet approved for operations... 1964 actual MAIN WORKLOAD FACTORS 5,193 -5,193 201 2,137 260 112 1,002 151 1965 1966 estimate estimate 75 617 5,524 5,721 -3 5,521 200 1 Includes capital outlay as follows: 1964, $93 thousand; 1965, $90 thousand 1966, $90 thousand. 5,721 2 Selected resources as of June 30 are as follows: Unpaid undelivered orders, 1964, $0 thousand; 1965, $170 thousand; 1966, $170 thousand. 210 2,347 265 105 1,107 160 93 710 237 975 41 5,721 -306 The Department cooperates with the States and other agencies in planning works of improvement in small watersheds to reduce damage from floodwater, sediment, and erosion and for the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water. 5,221 194 5,721 5,721 5,721 306 -300 1964 actual 1965 estimate 1966 estimale 5,721 6 220 2,567 270 105 1,212 170 100 810 232 1,085 41 234 875 48 Small watershed project investigations and planning.Surveys are made by the Department of proposed small watershed projects, and work plans are prepared in cooperation with the local sponsors. These plans outline the soil and water management problems in the watershed, the steps that have been or are authorized to be taken to alleviate these problems, the proposed works of improvement to be installed, the estimated benefits and costs, cost-sharing and operation and maintenance arrangements, and other facts necessary to justify Federal participation in project development. cultivation, the growing of vegetation, and changes in use of land, in accordance with the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, approved August 4, 1954, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1001-1008), and the provisions of the Act of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a-f), to remain available until expended, [$60,324,000] $67,171,000, with which shall be merged the unexpended balances of funds heretofore appropriated or transferred to the Department for watershed protection purposes: Provided, That this appropriation shall be available for field employment pursuant to the second sentence of section 706(a) of the Organic Act of 1944 (5 U.S.C. 574), and not to exceed $100,000 shall be available for employment under section 15 of the Act of August 2, 1946 (5 U.S.C. 55a): Provided further, That not to exceed [$4,000,000 $7,000,000, together with the unobligated balance of funds previously appropriated for loans and related expense, shall be available for such purposes. (5 U.S.C. 511-512; Department of Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1965.) Program and Financing (in thousands of dollars) 50,264 53,000 Identification code Financing: Approved, cumulative at June 30.. 16 Comparative transfers to other accounts___ 5,285 Completed, current fiscal year.... 21 Unobligated balance available, start of 24 Unobligated balance available, end of year. -3,500 Completed, cumulative at June 30... 1. Watershed works of improvement.-The Department provides technical and financial assistance to local organizations to install the watershed works of improvement for watershed protection, flood prevention, agricultural water management, recreation, and fish and wildlife development features specified in the work plans. (a) Pilot demonstration watersheds. Sixty-two pilot watersheds were started in 1954 in cooperation with local sponsors under authority of the Act of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a-f) to demonstrate and evaluate the effectiveness of works of improvement installed in small watersheds for watershed protection and flood prevention. As of June 30, 1964, work had been discontinued in 8 61,379 67,171 projects and completed as planned in 48 except for project evaluation studies which will be underway until 1970 in some of these. The following table shows the current status of the pilot watershed projects. Obligations for project evaluation studies are not reflected in the table subsequent to 1959 as these costs were determined not properly chargeable to projects. Obligations for such studies amounted to $113 thousand in 1964 and are estimated at $105 thousand in 1965 and $100 thousand in 1966. [Dollars in thousands] 61,786 5,285 67,070 61,379 67,171 Includes capital outlay as follows: 1964, $651 thousand; 1965, $750 thousand: Selected resources as of June 30 are as follows: SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE-Continued General and special funds-Continued WATERSHED PROTECTION-Continued (b) Public Law 566 watersheds.-After local sponsoring organizations have developed watershed work plans with the Department's assistance, or with State or local resources, and the projects have been approved as suitable for Federal participation (projects involving an estimated Federal contribution in excess of $250 thousand for construction or any single structure having a capacity in excess of 2,500 acre-feet require Congressional approval), technical services and financial assistance are provided for specified works of improvement. On non-Federal lands local sponsoring organizations must contract for construction work, operate and maintain the projects, and in the case of multiple-purpose structures, bear a share of construction costs. In addition, local organizations must acquire water rights and furnish land, easements, and rights-of-way for all structural measures except that the Federal Government may pay up to one-half the cost of land, easements, and rights-of-way allocated to public fish and wildlife and recreational developments. Federal agencies do this work on Federal lands which they administer with appropriate contributions being made by the local people who receive benefits. Pre-construction land treatment and engineering services are furnished to all approved projects before they are advanced to the construction stage. During construction stage, surveys and investigations and detailed designs, specifications, and engine estimates are prepared for construction of works; areas are delineated where easements ar and technical services are furnished for accelera ning and application of land treatment measu vided for in the watershed work plan. The project construction stage begins with the of the first project agreement for construction of improvement. Under a project agreement sponsoring organization agrees to construct a s the project which may consist of an individual o related group of structures. The agreement ob Department to furnish its share of the constru Payments are made to the local contracting or in accordance with the project agreement as progresses. Engineering and other services are for the preparation of contracts and inspectio struction. Technical assistance in planning and land treatment measures is continued as called watershed work plan. The following tabulation shows the status. Law 566 projects and amounts obligated or est be obligated. The table does not reflect min tions for project evaluation studies ($101 thousa latively as of June 30, 1964), or for balances ren the undistributed equipment account ($443 cumulatively as of June 30, 1964). The 1965 program contemplates initiation of construction in 69 watershed projects, involving 1965 estimated obligations of $15.4 million and total Federal cost of $65.6 million. The 1966 estimate provides for starting about 70 projects with 1966 obligations of $15.9 million and total Federal cost of $70 million. 2. Loans and related expense.-Loans are made to local organizations to finance the local share of the cost of installing planned works of improvement in approved watershed projects. Repayment with interest is required within 50 years after the principal benefits of improve ments first become available. Of the 1966 est watershed protection, not to exceed $7 million available for such purpose together with the un balance of loan funds carried over from prior any. The estimate does not forecast any un balance in loan funds at the end of the fiscal y or 1966. The following tabulation shows the status of t shed protection loan program and amounts obl estimated to be obligated for loans to local sp organizations of watershed projects. |