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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />When a flood is upon us, yes. Then all hell breaks loose. <br /> <br />River basin planning will provide plans in advance for projects which are <br />designed to prevent floods before they can happen. These plans will also provide <br />for full development of water and related land resources for the future population <br />growth of your river basin. <br /> <br />What can be done about it? Part of the answer lies with you, gentlemen. <br />The people must be made aware that only through action can problems be' sol ved. <br />You can help them by letting us help you get the facts before the public. <br /> <br />Now, with that thought in mind, let me tell you what we are doing about River <br />Basin Planning. <br /> <br />As I said earlier, river basin planning means the development of comprehen- <br />sive plans for an entire river basin. For purposes of clarification, I will outline <br />briefly the basic steps. <br /> <br />The first requirement is an inventory of all existing water and related land <br />resources and present economic development -- population, industries, occupa- <br />tions and land use. Where this has been done, it need not be repeated. It must' <br />however be kept up to date. This inventory must include data on available water <br />supply, electric power, transportation, recreation and quality of the water. <br />Records must be compiled of agricultural and forest products and mineral sources. <br />Next, all works constructed or authorized by private interests, and local, State, <br />and Federal agencies must be inventoried to determine those needs which have <br />been satisfied. <br /> <br />We must forecast the basins I future economic development with specific <br />reference to population, industries, occupations;. and land use -- and we must look:: <br />as far ahead as we possibly can. <br /> <br />With this background, vision and imagination must be combined with sound <br />engineering planning to assure wise and optimum development of the available <br />resources to meet future requirements. I would like to emphasize that river <br />basin planning is not an individual effort by one agency. It must be participated <br />in by all interested agencies -- local, State and Federal. In order to complete <br />the basin plans as indicated above, the expert services of all agencies must be <br />coordinated and funds to prosecute these studies must be provided. <br /> <br />Considerable work has been done in the Colorado River Basin. Wehave <br />completed six major improvements; namely, Pine Canyon and Mathews Canyon <br />Reservoirs in the Virgin River Basin, and Painted Rock, Whitlow Ranch, . and <br />McMicken Reservoirs in the Gila River Basin. We have also completed a levee <br />on the Little Colorado River for the protection of Holbrook, Arizona. <br /> <br />Other Federal Agencies, the States, and the local people also have been <br />active. Some of these projects are very large, others are small, but all of these <br />works and the studies that have made the'*, possible demonstrate the requirements <br />of the people of the basin. The studies that continue, further demonstrate the <br />value of long-range planning and serve as an excellent framework for the detailed <br />studies that must be made as water supply requirements become more competitive. <br /> <br />- 2iD - <br />