It A total cost of the public recreation developments is about $98 million. About $55 million will come from non-federal sources. Local sponsoring organizations are responsible for operating and maintaining the reservoirs and recreation areas. is estimated that the new recreation areas will attract 11.4 million visitors a year for boating, fishing, swimming, picnicking, camping, and allied forms of recreation. This will have a favorable economic impact on nearby communities. Reservoirs to provide more than 43,000 acres of additional water surface for recreation will be located in 37 states. The following examples are typical of the fish and wildlife and recreational benefits being received by residents in PL-566 projects and surrounding areas in addition to flood prevention and watershed protection: Nebraska Mud Creek Project: Operations on this 38,872-acre project began in July, 1958. Sponsors are Gage County Soil and Water Conservation District and Mud Creek Watershed Conservancy District. The watershed work plan provides for erosion control and better management, use and disposal of water. of 217 farming units in the project, 174 are district cooperators, and 139 have basic conservation plans. Over the total watershed area, about 54 percent of planned land treatment measures have been applied. Nine of 11 floodwater retarding structures planned and 5 of 20 grade stabilization structures planned are complete. One floodwater retarding structure has additional reservoir storage forming a 156-acre lake for water-based recreation. The recreation facilities for the multiple-purpose structure are being developed at the present time. However, with only limited facilities, the area is heavily used by local people for boating, swimming and picnicking. Sediment pools of 2 other sites provided approximately 2000 man-days of incidental recreation uses during the past year. At estimated $40,000 in flood damage was prevented following a storm in June, 1970, with only 67 percent of the planned watershed treatment installed. Oregon Sutherlin Creek Watershed: This 28,960-acre watershed was approved for operations in September, 1964. Sponsors are Sutherlin Water Control District, North Douglas Soil and Water Conservation District, Douglas County and the City of Sutherlin. Problems in the watershed have been floodwater and sediment damage to agricultural lands and the City of Sutherlin and insufficient water supply for irrigation, municipal use, and recreational and fishery purposes. There are about 200 farms in the project ranging in size from 5 acres to 500 acres. Conservation plans have been developed on 79 cooperating units. Good land use and land treatment practices are being adopted rapidly. Structural measures installed are improved channels and 2 multiple-purpose reservoirs, 1 for floodwater retardation and irrigation water supply, and 1 for floodwater retardation, municipal water supply and recreation use. Recreation facilities are under construction at the present time at Cooper Creek Reservoir. Cooper Creek Reservoir was used for the first time in 1970 for flood control, fishing, boating and water skiing. Recreation use has far exceeded the planned visitor days to date. Prior to the fishing season, the Oregon Game Commission released 6,000 legal size rainbow trout for this season's fishing. In addition, 800 brood fish were brought in from a hatchery. These were mature cutthroat trout ready to spawn naturally. Five thousand fingerling rainbow trout were also released. Fishing has been excellent throughout the year. Incidental recreation use of Plat I Reservoir continues to be very high. Plans are being made to change this lake to a warm-water fishery. The Game Commission planted 1,000 large big-mouth bass in the early spring and later planted black crappie for a planned balanced warm-water fishery. 3. Municipal Water Supply The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, as amended, permits the inclusion of additional storage capacity in reservoirs constructed in watershed projects to satisfy present and future needs for municipal and industrial water supplies. Local organizations must pay the entire cost of construction, including engineering and other installation services, for the additional capacity. Advances may be made from construction funds to enable local organizations to pay for additional storage. Such advances are interest free for 10 years or until the water is first used. Such advances must be repaid with interest within the life of the structure but in not more than 50 years. The opportunity to assure dependable future water supplies to small communities, which results in increased chances of attracting industry, is creating considerable interest in this feature of watershed project development. As of June 30, 1970, local sponsors in 122 watersheds had included municipal water supply features in their watershed work plans. Two examples of projects which include additional storage capacity for municipal water supply follow: Maryland Little Youghiogheny River Watershed: This 26,275-acre project was approved for operations in March, 1957. Sponsors are Carrett Soil Conservation District, City of Oakland, County Commissioners of Garrett County, and Wilson Run Public Watershed Association. Principal watershed problems considered in work plan development were floodwater damages in and near Oakland, and the need for additional water supply and water-based public recreation in the Oakland area. There are 191 farms in the watershed. One hundred fifty-nine (159) of these Ten business establishments in the area formerly subject to flood damage have Virginia Roanoke Creek Project: Operations on this 141,900-acre project were approved in September, 1959. Sponsors are Southside Soil and Water Conservation District, Charlotte County and the towns of Keysville and Drakes Branch. Principal problems considered during watershed work plan development were flooding of agricultural lands and towns and the need for additional municipal water by the towns of Drakes Branch and Keysville. There are 853 operating units in the project, and 451 are district cooperators. Conservation plans have been developed on 428. Approximately 84 percent of the planned land treatment measures have been applied. Thirteen of 17 floodwater retarding structures planned are completed, including three multiplepurpose structures. About 32 miles of channel have been improved. Two of the multiple-purpose structures supply water for the towns of Keysville and Drakes Branch, population approximately 1,000 each. With adequate water supply, there has been an upsurge in business and employment. One new industry has moved to Keysville, employing 125 people. An existing industry had considered relocating because of water shortage. It has expanded twice right in Keysville since water became available and increased employment from 200 to 350. At Drakes Branch, a mill has expanded twice and increased employment from 450 to 750. Most of these employees are rural people with limited incomes who are now supplementing their income. The two planta at Keysville and the plant at Drakes Branch combined have a weekly payroll of approximately $100,000. This payroll is about double the amount prior to the project. The supply of water is sufficient to take care of needs of more industries. The economy of the county is rapidly improving. LOANS FOR WATERSHED WORKS OF IMPROVEMENT Agency Participation The following table shows the amount of funds appropriated to the Soil Conservation Service obligated for loan services in F.Y. 1970 and estimated for 1971 and 1972: Under Section 8 of Public Law 566, 83rd Congress, as amended, loans are authorized to be made to local organizations for financing the local share of the cost of installing planned works of improvement in approved watershed projects. The Farmers Home Administration has been assigned the responsibility for making these loans to sponsors of projects. No loans may be made until the Soil Conservation Service and the local organization have agreed on a plan for works of improvement, and the project has been approved for operation. The Appropriation Act for 1968 and subsequent years provided for making such loans from funds available in the Direct Loan Account of the Farmers Home Administration. Administrative expenses for the servicing of loans are provided for in this appropriation. Public Law 566 requires that all costs allocated to flood prevention purposes except the cost of easements and rights-of-way, water rights, and administration of contracts, be paid from federal funds. Most of the loans are used to help finance organizational expenses, legal costs, the acquisition of land, easements and rightsof-way which the local organizations find they must purchase, and the local share of the cost of multiple-purpose projects. These purposes can include outdoor recreation and natural beauty benefits. No loans are made under this authority for the local costs of installing conservation land treatment measures. These land treatment measures primarily benefit the lands upon which they are installed, and the costs are normally borne by the individual land owners with some federal cost sharing and technical assistance from other Departmental conservation programs. The following tabulation shows the status of the loan program and amounts obligated or estimated to be obligated for loans to local watershed projects. Obligations are not adjusted for prior year loan cancellations. Includes funds from FHA direct loan account and carryover of funds appropriated to Soil Conservation Service. Types of Loan Requests Received Most Applications for loans received by the Farmers Home Administration have varied greatly in amount. The applications now pending average about $200,000 each. applications have included requests for funds to purchase land easements or rightsof-way and pay legal fees and organization costs. The larger loan requests have also included funds to pay the local organization's share of the installation costs of drainage channels, municipal water storage, irrigation works, recreational facilities, natural beauty, and other multiple-purpose improvements. Loan Made to Upper Big Nemaha Watershed Conservancy District A watershed loan in the amount of $380,000 was made to the Upper Big Nemaha Watershed Conservancy District of Firth, Nebraska, to enable district officials to finance the local share of the cost for developing works of improvement in the Upper Big Nemaha Watershed. The loan funds were used for the purchase of easements, rightsof-way and related costs for the development of 59 grade stabilization structures and 38 floodwater retarding structures in the watershed area of Johnson, Gage, Lancaster, and Otoe Counties in Nebraska. This project provides for floodwater protection in the low land areas and for control of soil erosion in the other areas of the watershed. The water impounded will afford opportunities for water based recreation facilities and other beneficial uses. Approximately 115,000 acres of land, which includes 475 farms and the towns of Firth, Adams and Sterling, Nebraska will benefit from flood and erosion control, as well as recreation facilities and other water uses that result from this project. 59-584 - 71 pt. 3 34 FLOOD PREVENTION Mr. K. GRANT. The appropriation proposed for flood prevention for fiscal year 1972 is $21,680,000, essentially the same level as 1971. There will be $3,636,114 less available in 1972 due to unobligated balances carried over from 1970 to 1971 which are planned for use in 1971. Of this carryover, $2,718,523 was emergency measures funds. You may recall one of the emergencies was the result of Hurricane Camille where we had a great deal of work to be done in Virginia. I would like to give you, and all members of the committee, copies of a report which indicates the work that was done as the result of the hurricane that devastated parts of Virginia. Loans in 1972 are estimated at $400,000 to be made from the direct loan account of the Farmers Home Administration. The amount of $193,000 is proposed for servicing new loans plus those made in previous years. The flood prevention program has also been directed to natural resource development and environmental improvement. It provides for installing land treatment measures for runoff and waterflow retardation and soil erosion prevention on watersheds. By June 30, 1970, about 69 percent of the total projected program plans had been installed in the authorized watersheds. More than 2,500 flood water retarding dams, 13,000 debris basins, and 900 miles of stream channel improvement have been installed. All planned works of improvement including land treatment have been completed in 139 or 35 percent of the subwatershed work plans in the authorized project areas. Ten additional subwatershed work plans are expected to be completed and 10 new subwatershed construction starts made during the 1972 fiscal year. All funds available for emergency measures from the 1969 supplemental appropriation for California-Nevada floodwater damage and the 1970 supplemental for Hurricane Camille damage in Virginia will be obligated by the end of fiscal 1971. The $300,000 provided in the regular 1970 appropriation for emergency measures was also allotted to help repair extensive damage caused by Hurricane Camille in Virginia. A major part of the repair work has consisted of clearing stream channels of sediment, rock, and other debris brought down in landslides and floodwaters during the unprecedented rains and seeding denuded areas. About 550 miles of channel were restored. At this point, Mr. Chairman, I suggest including in the record pages 208 through 229 of the explanatory notes. (The pages follow:) |