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00309Z . all these planning questions at this time, but they're contained in this green booklet we distributed for review and comment last May. I have a few copies with me if anyone hasn't seen the document and would like to. One of the planning questions addressed in the assessment deals with the water resource, The question is phrased this way: "What actions can be taken by the Forest Service to ~ provide sufficient quantities of quality water to meet environmental, agricultural, jndustria1, and domestic need?" I'd like to emphasize that the question did not ask what the Forest Service will do but only what it can do to help. Later in the planning process, when alternative management strategies are formulated, based on capability and suitability, we'll be better able to address the "should" and "will" of water management on the National Forest System. The assessment of the management situation must determine what the water situation is today - and to at least speculate if our past management has had any effect on the water situation. Research has played an important role in water questions over the last half century. ~itHin pnd outside the Forest Service, experiments have shown to what extent vegetation affects various facets of the hydrologic cycle. On PSIAC's initiative, a history of state-of-the-art has been brought together in the pub1 ication, "Vegetation Management for Water Yield Improvement in the Colorado River Basin," by Ron Hibbert. Most of you will recall that this publication states that theoretically an additional 6 million acre feet could be generated over a period of time, but that economic, social, and environmental constraints could reduce this theoretical limit to one million acre feet or less. As you know, the application of research technology Ron Hibbert, wrote about is not yet an ongoing, day-to-day activity of the Forest Service. We are just beginning to put to work some of the practices research has shown to be physically feasible. This is not to say past forest management activities have had no effect on the flow of the Colorado River. Forest and range protection from fire, disease, and insects has resulted in a gradual buildup of plant cover. This increase in plant cover has reduced erosion and subsequent sedimentation and lessened flood severity, at least locally. But these benefits cost something in terms of increased consumptive use of water on mountain watersheds. Countering this trend for increased vegetation density has been a steady increase in the re- duction of old growth timber stands and the thinning of young forests. Both of these si1vicu1tura1 activities reduce for a time the on-site use of water. Whether the practice of silviculture has as yet balanced or exceeded the effects of protection is speculation, C-3