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<br />o <br /> <br />~ <br />c <br />....' <br /> <br />c <br /> <br />Irrigation Aspects <br /> <br />Project lands that are subject to frequent damage from flooding are the <br />small acreages along the lower reaches of the Smi th Fork River. Other <br />drainages, Allen Gulch and Cottonwood Creek, are well channelized and <br />danger of flooding would be remote. The Missouri Flats lands are served <br />by irrigation ditches that receive irrigation water from a well-covered <br />subwatershed area and therefore flooding and silting will be slight. <br />Excessive high water at intervals has damaged irrigation ditch headings. <br />Proper construction and maintenance will alleviate this problem. Most <br />ditches in the watershed are eroding due to steep gradient slopes and <br />should be corrected by the irrigation companies. <br /> <br />Findings <br /> <br />Watershed conditions do not pose a flood hazard to the project. They do <br />produce excessive amounts of sediment which will reduce storage capacity of <br />project reservoirs and cause canal cleaning problems. Even though the <br />Crawford Reservoir is designed to provide storage for the current sediment <br />production for 50 years, any reduction in' that sediment will lengthen the <br />us eful life of the project. Most of the sediment comes from problem areas <br />whi ch can be greatly improved by watershed treatment measures. Watershed <br />treatment can be accomplished under regular programs of federal land- <br />administering agencies and by private landowners wi th assistance normally <br />furnished by federal and state agencies. There should be greater emphasis <br />by all interested parties on proper land management to improve watershed <br />condi tions and reduce the sediment problem. The users of watershed lands <br />will receive sufficient benefits to justify their cooperation in this <br />effort. <br /> <br />- 55 - <br />