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1-2 I I I I I I I I \~~ I I I I t I I I I I I AGRICULTURE, DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND WATER RESOURCE PROGRAMS IN THE MISSOURI RIVER BASIN The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a wide interest in water and related land resources planning and development in the Missouri River Basin in several major areas. These currently are: (1) cooperating with State and Federal agencies in level B and cooperative studies, (2) administering the Water- shed Protection and Flood Prevention Program (P.L. 566); (3) directing the Resource managing land and water resources for watershed protection on national forest lands and national grasslands administered by the Forest Service and on privately owned lands throughout the basin; (5) forest, range, and watershed research; (6) agricultural aspects of water and related land resources research; and (7) evaluation of and determination of social and economic impacts of planned and functioning water and related land resources programs. Cooperative Studies Providing assistance to State water resource planning agencies for'deve10p- ment of State water plans and cooperating with State agencies in planning river basins or portions of basins within States is referred to as cooperative studies. These studies are funded under section 6 of the Small Watershed Act (P.L. 566). In States where the studies have been authorized, the work is carried out by a USDA staff with representation of Forest Service, the Economic Statistics and Cooperatives Service, and Soil Conservation Service. Federal matching funds made available to States through title III of the 1965 Water Resources Planning Act have created considerable interest on the part of State agencies, resulting in many requests for cooperative assistance from USDA. Small Watersheds (P.L. 566) The Small Watershed Program was enacted in 1954 to bridge the gap between the conservation work done on the individual farms and the structural systems for larger river basins. This program for watershed protection and flood pre- vention is administered by the Soil Conservation Service with assistance 'where needed provided by the Forest Service, Farmers Home Administration, and other USDA agencies. Small watershed planning funds are appropriated in a lump sum nationally and allocated to States for reallocation to specific projects by the respective State conservationist. Planning funds are also appropriated in a lump sum nationally and allocated to States on the basis of need. Project planning costs are not maintained by individual projects so are not available for the Missouri River Basin. Construction funds are also appropriated in a lump sum nationally and allocated to States on the basis of need. Watershed Protection Three USDA agencies are primarily interested in watershed protection. The Forest Service administers the national forests and national grasslands, The