Object Classification (in thousands of dollars)—Continued SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE-Continued General and special funds-Continued CONSERVATION OPERATIONS—Continued (d) technical assistance to group enterprises with water control problems that can best be solved through group action; (e) the granting of special equipment acquired from Federal Government surplus to soil conservation districts for use in the application of planned conservation practices; (f) water supply forecasts developed from snow surveys in Western States which serve as a basis for planning for efficient seasonal use of water; (g) the selection and testing of plant materials to determine their suitability for erosion control purposes; (h) technical assistance to Agricultural Conservation Program participants in establishing specified conservation practices; (i) technical assistance to participants in other programs involving specified conservation practices and land use adjustments; (j) technical assistance in planning and applying the soil and water conservation practices for which loans are made by the Farmers Home Administration; and (k) consultation and assistance to local rural areas development committees, program planning and consultation in urban fringe areas. Combinations of needed soil and water conservation practices are planned together and in relation to each other so as to have a well balanced program in each district and for each farm. Both vegetative and structural practices are used in accordance with the conservation needs of the land and decisions of the cooperating farmer or rancher. The Soil Conservation Service technician explains the soil conditions, develops land use and treatment alternatives with each cooperator, helps him evaluate the costs and returns of conservation farming, and furnishes assistance in applying the needed treatments. These conservation programs provide immediate and long-term benefits to the land where installed and to the general welfare. Modern soil and water conservation practices are essential to our continued efficient use of our fixed land base for agricultural purposes as the future needs of the nation may require. There is an urgent need to speed up the rate of applying land treatment work as estimated above to prevent further soil deterioration and to protect our remaining good land while using and improving it. Object Classification (in thousands of dollars) 1962 1963 1964 actual estimate estimate For expenses necessary to conduct surveys, investigations, and research and to carry out preventive measures, including, but not limited to, engineering operations, methods of 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, [$60,585,000 $63,992,000, with which shall be merged the unexpended balances of funds heretofore appropriated or transferred to the Department for watershed protection purposes: Provided, That not to exceed $100,000 may be used for employment pursuant to the second sentence of section 706(a) of the Organic Act of 1944 (5 U.S.C. 574), as amended by section 15 not to exceed $3,000,000 together with the unobligated balance of of the Act of August 2, 1946 (5 U.S.C. 55a): Provided further, That funds previously appropriated for loans and related expense, shall be available for such purposes. (5 U.S.C. 511-512; 76 Stat. 608-610; Department of Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1963.) Program and Financing (in thousands of dollars) 11 Personnel compensation: New obligational authority.. Permanent positions... 67,072 Positions other than permanent.. 2,561 71,795 2,392 75,960 2,790 Other personnel compensation.. Transferred to "Operating expenses, Public Buildings Service," General Services Administration (75 Stat. 353) (—) -35 22 Transportation of things... 573 572 23 Rent, communications, and utilities. 585 3,189 24 Printing and reproduction.. 430 Proposed supplemental due to pay increases 833 26 Supplies and materials. 3,264 31 Equipment... 32 Lands and structures.. Includes capital outlay as follows: 1962, $799 thousand; 1963, $850 thousand; 1964, $900 thousand. 2 Selected resources as of June 30 are as follows: 1962 Unpaid undelivered orders.. Advances.‒‒‒ 35,224 45,000 52, 200 1961 1963 1964 24,713 35, 227 44,986 52, 186 24 1964 The Department cooperates with the States and other operation with the local sponsors. These plans outline agencies in planning and installing works of improvement the soil and water management problems in the waterin small watersheds to reduce damage from floodwater, shed, the steps that have been or are authorized to be sediment, and erosion and for the conservation, develop- taken to alleviate these problems, the proposed works of ment, utilization, and disposal of water. It provides loans improvement to be installed, the estimated benefits and to local organizations to help them finance their share of costs, cost-sharing and operation and maintenance arthe costs of certain works of improvement. The Depart-rangements, and other facts necessary to justify Federal ment also cooperates with other agencies in making surveys participation in project development. and investigations of watersheds of rivers and other waterways as the basis for the development of coordinated 2. 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 focal sponsors under authority of the Act of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a-590f) to demonstrate and evaluate the effectiveness of works of improvement installed in small watersheds for watershed protection and flood prevention. As of June 30, 1962, work had been discontinued in eight projects and completed as planned in 44 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 $144 thousand in 1962 and are estimated at $128 thousand in 1963 and $127 thousand in 1964. 1 Includes obligations for project evaluation studies prior to the fiscal year 1960 on all projects on which these studies were carried out. (b) Public Law 566 watersheds.-After local sponsoring organizations have developed watershed work plans with the Department's assistance and the projects have been approved as suitable for Federal participation (projects involving an estimated Federal contribution in excess of $250 thousand, or any single structure having a capacity in excess of 2,500 acre-feet require Congressional approval), technical services and cost-sharing 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, The project construction stage begins with execution of easements, and rights-of-way for all structural measures the first project agreement for construction of works of except that the Federal Government may pay up to oneimprovement, after required easements are obtained or half the cost of land, easements, and rights-of-way allo- assured and the local organization has met all other recated to public fish and wildlife and recreational develop-quirements. Under a project agreement the local spon ments. Federal agencies do this work on Federal lands which they administer with appropriate contributions being made by the local people who receive benefits. Advance engineering and technical assistance is furnished to all approved projects before they are advanced to the construction stage. During the advance engineering and technical assistance stage, surveys and investigations are made and detailed designs, specifications, and engineering cost estimates are prepared for construction of structural works; areas are delineated where easements are required and technical assistance is furnished for accelerating planning and application of land treatment measures. 3. Uncompleted projects at end of year: (a) Obligations to date... (b) Estimated completion cost.. 4. Projects completed (cumulative) and total cost.. The 1963 program contemplates initiation of construction in about 60 watershed projects, involving 1963 estimated obligations of $15.3 million and total Federal cost of $52.5 million. The 1964 estimate provides for starting about 36 projects, with 1964 obligations of $10.2 million and total Federal cost of $36 million. 3. 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 improvements first become available. Of the 1964 estimate for watershed protection, not to exceed $3 million is to be available for such purpose together with unobligated balance of loan funds carried over from prior years. 4. River basin program development and coordination. Section 6 of Public Law 566, 83d Congress, as amended, authorizes the Department to cooperate with other Federal, State, and local agencies in making surveys and investigations of the watersheds of rivers and other waterways as a basis for the development of coordinated water and related land resources programs. The Department is currently participating in cooperative surveys and_investigations of 25 river basins with the Corps of Engineers and other interested Federal and State agencies. The Department is represented on the InterAgency Committee on Water Resources which was established to coordinate water and related land resource activities of Federal departments and agencies. The Department also maintains representation on various river basin interagency committees, which serve as points of contact and coordination between representatives of this Department and of other Federal departments and agencies and the States in these basin areas, to keep all concerned mutually informed of the activities of the 1962 actual Number Amounl 1963 estimate Number Amount Number 1964 estimate Amount 289 $188,775 341 73 71.930 20 120 $221,323 120,000 432 362 260,705 461 341,323 129 16 10,164 36,302 650 432 357,564 105 35,992 120 $288,087 120,000 552 408,087 222246 member agencies and to facilitate matters of interagency coordination. The Department, in 1962, maintained such representation on committees in the Arkansas-White-Red, Columbia, Missouri, northeast, and southwest areas. This Department and the Departments of the Army, the Interior, and Health, Education, and Welfare have jointly considered river basin surveys and investigations currently needed to attain the goal proposed by the Senate Select Committee on National Water Resources and recommended by the President for surveying the river basins of the Nation. Based on this joint consideration, the Department, beginning in 1964, will participate cooperatively with these other departments in surveys of the Puget Sound area in Washington; the Colorado River Basin; the Missouri River Basin; the White and St. Francis River Basins in Missouri and Arkansas; various river basins in east Texas; the Grand and Fox River Basins in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois; the upper Mississippi-Great Lakes and Big Muddy River Basins; the Connecticut, St. John, and other northeast river basins; and the Pascagoula River Basin in Mississippi. Object Classification (in thousands of dollars) Organic Act of 1944 (5 U.S.C. 574), as amended by section 15 of the Act of August 2, 1946 (5 U.S.C. 55a), to remain available until expended; [$25,000,000] $25,576,000, with which shall be merged the unexpended balances of funds heretofore appropriated or transferred to the Department for flood prevention purposes: Provided, That no part of such funds shall be used for the purchase of lands in the Yazoo and Little Tallahatchie watersheds without specific approval of the county board of supervisors of the county in which such lands are situated: Provided further, That not to exceed $1,000,000, 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; 76 Stat. 610; Department of Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1963.) Program and Financing (in thousands of dollars) 1. Installation of works of improvement.-The Department cooperates with soil conservation districts and other local organizations in planning and installing works of improvement for flood prevention and for furthering the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water in the 11 watersheds authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944. The Federal Government shares in the cost of works of improvement for flood prevention, agricultural water management, recreation, and fish and wildlife development features. The Department furnishes additional technical, and in certain instances financial, assistance to landowners to accelerate planning and installation of land-treatment measures for runoff retardation, sediment control, and water management. Local sponsoring organizations must furnish all land, easements and rights-of-way, water rights, and the entire cost of works of improvement for nonagricultural water management measures, except those for recreation and fish and wildlife development, and operate and maintain all completed works of improvement. 2. Loans and related expense.-Loans are made to local organizations to help finance their share of the costs of planned works of improvement. Repayment with interest is required within 50 years after the principal benefits of improvements first become available. Of the 1964 esti 4,526 1,100 Average GS grade.. 7.4 7.5 Average GS salary.. 7.5 $6,729 29,614 25,576 21,050 1,000 Includes capital outlay as follows: 1962, $56 thousand; 1963, $60 thousand; 1964. $65 thousand. 2 Selected resources as of June 30 are as follows: Unpaid undelivered orders, 1961, $15.788 thousand; 1962, $17,261 thousand; 1963, $19,000 thousand; 1964, $21,700 thousand. Cost-sharing contracts and technical assistance are offered by the Department to aid farmers and ranchers to develop and carry out long-range conservation plans designed to minimize climatic hazards and protect their lands from erosion and deterioration by natural causes. This is a voluntary program which supplements other conservation programs and activities in designated counties of the 10 Great Plains States. Cost-sharing contracts extend from 3 to 10 years and include a plan of operations for the farm and ranch and a time schedule for installing eligible conservation practices. December 31, 1971, is the final date for entering into contracts with cooperators. The maximum cost-share rate offered in any contract does not exceed 80% of the average cost of installing each eligible practice. Federal cost-sharing for constructing, 960 enlarging, deepening or lining any individual dam, pit, or pond for irrigation water is limited to $2,500. Furthermore, cost-sharing for conservation irrigation practices in any one contract must not exceed (1) $2,500, or (2) ap 805 |