Conservation Highlights 1980

Summary of Activities

of the Soil Conservation Service for Fiscal Year 1980

A large part of the true wealth of our Nation is its soil and water. But our soil and water resources are not unlimited. They are finite and vulnerable, as we are continually reminded by gullies, exhausted land, dust storms, and drought.

The technology of soil and water conservation, while never complete, can be more effectively used to reduce much soil erosion to acceptable limits, to increase rangeland and forest productivity, and to improve irrigation efficiency and water quality.

It was toward these objectives that the U.S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service employees worked during fiscal year 1980. Through the Nation's 2,925 conservation districts, SCS provided technical assistance to nearly 900,000 individuals and groups. More than 55,000 landowners signed up as new district cooperators during the year, seeking help with conservation planning on nearly 27 million acres. Women made up about 12 percent of the new district cooperators.

Other highlights of SCS conservation activities during fiscal year 1980 follow.

Conservation Help for Units of Government

SCS employees furnished nearly 104,000 services to 27,400 local and State governments during the year. SCS provides basic soil and water data used by local governments in preparing regulations on land use and control of sediment and erosion.

Conservation Tillage

Various forms of conservation tillage, including no-till, were used by U.S. farmers on an estimated 60 million acres of cropland in 1980, compared to about 4 million acres 16 years ago. SCS gives technical assistance to farmers using these modern tillage practices which save fuel and soil.

Snow Surveys

In the West, SCS had 476 SNOTEL automated data collection sites in operation by the end of fiscal year 1980. In addition, SCS snow surveyors took measurements of snow and other precipitation, temperature, and soil moisture at 1,600 snow course sites and issued 3,509 water supply forecasts.

Soil Surveys

In fiscal year 1980, a record 135 soll surveys were published and an additional 82 survey manuscripts with maps were sent to be printed. More than 61 million acres were mapped during the year.

Soil Research

The SCS National Soil Survey Laboratory in Lincoln, Nebr., began analyzing rain and snow samples for acidity and heavy metals as part of a long-term effort to assess the effects of acid rain in the environment.

In fiscal year 1980, SCS was also involved in the Agricul ture and Resources Inventory Surveys Through Aerospace and Remote Sensing (AgRISTARS). It is a 6-year project designed to gain timely information about the Earth through remote sensing by satellite and special technology on the ground. SCS is cooperating with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the USDA Science and Education Administration, and other Federal agencies on the project.

Soil Moisture Monitoring

SCS began a 5-year monitoring project in fiscal year 1979 to obtain information needed to predict soil moisture for large areas in the conterminous 48 States. In fiscal year 1980, SCS was involved in a six-State soil moisture measurement project. The information will be used in making drought and crop yield estimates.

Range

SCS increased its participation in coordinated rangeland resource planning and management during the year. Coordinated resource planning is an interagency, cooperative effort on public and private lands that are so intermingled it is difficult to apply effective conservation practices on either the public or private land without including both.

SCS provided soil survey and vegetation information on 16 million acres for the Bureau of Land Management of the U.S. Department of the Interior. SCS also provided soil, range site, and vegetation information to other Federal and State agencies.

Requests for SCS assistance with brush management by prescribed burning and with planned grazing systems continued to increase during the year.

Plant Materials

SCS plant materials centers released five new conservation plants to commercial seed growers and nurseryowners in 1980. Three of the plants were native grasses which protect the soil in disturbed areas and provide forage for livestock. The other two releases were a native forb and a native shrub. The forb helps keep the soil from eroding and provides wildlife food and cover, and the shrub can be used in windbreaks to block undesirable views and provide a noise barrier. The plants are best suited to the West and Midwest.

Fish and Wildlife

In 1980, SCS received an increasing number of requests for technical assistance in fish farming, or aquaculture. To promote and expand SCS activities in aquaculture, SCS established a three-member National Aquaculture Activity team at Auburn University, Ala. The team will develop aquaculture policy, improve technical standards for aquaculture, and identify training needs.

April 1981

11

Forest Land

SCS assisted landowners in applying forest land improve. ment practices on 1,099,772 acres of private forest land. Practices included tree planting, direct seeding, improved harvesting, and site preparation.

Recreation

Under the Food and Agriculture Act of 1962, SCS has USDA leadership in helping land users develop recreation resources and serves as liaison with other Federal, State, and local agencies that assist with recreation development.

In 1980, SCS continued to provide technical and financial assistance for establishing or expanding public recreation developments and assisted private landowners in developing commercial and noncommercial recreation facilities.

Small Watershed Projects

During fiscal year 1980, 11 small watershed projects were completed, bringing to 509 the number completed since the program began in 1954. These Public Law 566 projects combine conservation measures and structural and nonstructural measures to reduce flood damage and provide agricultural water management, municipal and industrial water, recreation, and wildlife habitat.

River Basin Studies

SCS has USDA leadership for water and related land resource planning assistance to Federal, State, and local governments. SCS also leads USDA participation in Water Resources Council interagency studies. During the year, river basin planning studies were in progress in more than 40 States, and 9 studies were completed.

Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program

Under Public Law 93-320, SCS is cooperating with the Water and Power Resources Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior to reduce salt loadings to the Colorado River, primarily through improved onfarm irrigation water management measures. Under Title I of the act, SCS provides technical and cost-share assistance to irrigators in the WelltonMohawk project in Arizona. Structural practices have been installed on 112 farms, involving 16,179 acres, to date.

Under Title II, SCS conducts studies to determine the irrigation improvement measures needed to reduce salt loadings from designated Upper Basin irrigated salt-source areas. USDA technical and cost-share assistance for the installation of salinity control practices was provided in the Uintah Basin, Utah, and Grand Valley, Colo., in fiscal year 1980. SCS provided technical assistance for designing and installing needed practices on 500 farms. The practices include land leveling, water control structures, sprinkler irrigation systems, ditch lining, onfarm pipelines, and off-farm lateral lining and pipelines serving two or more farms.

Great Plains Conservation Program

In the 10 Great Plains States, 957 farmers and ranchers signed long-term contracts to apply permanent conservation measures on 2.5 million acres, bringing the total acreage covered to date under Great Plains Conservation Program (GPCP) contracts to more than 110 million. During fiscal year 1980, contracts were completed on 3.7 million acres.

Through the GPCP, SCS provides technical assistance and cost sharing to landowners to minimize the hazards of recur. ring drought and wind erosion.

Rural Abandoned Mine Program

SCS administers the Rural Abandoned Mine Program (RAMP), authorized by Section 406 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Through the program, SCS provides technical and financial assistance to land users in reclaiming soil and water resources of rural lands adversely affected by past coal mining practices. By the close of fiscal year 1980, the program's second full fiscal year of operation, 2,865 applications for assistance covering 104,650 acres of aban doned coal mined lands had been received.

Agricultural Conservation Program

Through the Agricultural Conservation Program (ACP), SCS provides technical assistance to farmers and ranchers who install enduring conservation practices on their land to solve environmental problems. The Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service administers ACP and provides financial assistance to participating landowners.

Rural Clean Water Program

In fiscal year 1980, 13 Rural Clean Water Program (RCWP) projects were selected for funding as authorized by the 1980 Agricultural Appropriation Act. Of these, three were selected for comprehensive monitoring and evaluation.

SCS, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the USDA Economics and Statistics Service are cooperating on developing guidelines for the monitoring and evaluation of the RCWP projects. SCS is responsible for coordinating technical assistance and monitoring activities.

Rural Development

In fiscal year 1980, more than 30 States benefited from SCS redirection and targeting of assistance to small farms and American Indians.

Important Farmland Inventory

As authorized by Section 302 of the Rural Development Act of 1972, SCS has the leadership role in USDA for inventorying the Nation's prime agricultural areas. By the end of fiscal year 1980, SCS had published important farmland maps which delineate prime and unique farmland for more than 500 counties.

12

April 1981