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<br />Table 27 - GULLY EROSION DAMAGE WITH CURRENT AND PROJECTED ECONOMIC
<br />DEVELOPMENT, MISSOURI BASIN
<br />
<br /> Total Area Subject Average Annual Damages
<br />Subbasin to Damage Current 1980 2000 2020
<br /> (Thousand Acres) ($ Thousand)
<br />Upper Missouri Minor
<br />Yellowstone 39 281 467 756 1,245
<br />Western Dakota 17 39 53 72 96
<br />Eastern Dakota 126 476 815 1,108 1,497
<br />Platte-Niobrara 97 557 907 1,321 1,976
<br />Middle Missouri 1,053 8,377 12,700 17,759 24,953
<br />Kansas 169 1,075 1,600 2,362 3,570
<br />Lower Missouri 540 4,649 6,869 10,471 17,029
<br />- - -
<br />Missouri Basin 2,041 15,454 23,411 33,849 50,366
<br />
<br />order to bring conservation treatment and management
<br />of the 43 million acres of Federal lands to adequate
<br />levels, about 13.7 million acres require the installation of
<br />additional conservation measures. -
<br />The evaluation of the production capability of the
<br />basin showed that 20.2 million acres of pasture and
<br />range are arable and exist in large enough tracts to be
<br />feasible for conversion to cropland if the need exists.
<br />Conversely, 4.6 million acres of cropland should be
<br />converted to uses such as grassland to reduce the erosion
<br />hazard.
<br />Current farm operations can be improved or land
<br />used more intensively on 5.1 million acres of agricultural
<br />land by removing the excess water. Of this amount,
<br />about ].9 million acres are cropland and the balance is
<br />grassland or woodland.
<br />
<br />ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
<br />
<br />Over the years, there ha~ been an increasing concern
<br />for the quality of the natural environment, and con-
<br />sideration of its various facets is an important part of
<br />the planning process. Among the many problems to be
<br />resolved are the intuitive aspects of environmental
<br />requirements.
<br />The Missouri River Basin is a large area with an
<br />infinite variety of physiographic and vegetative features.
<br />There are many ideas of what constitutes a quality
<br />environment or what the environmental considerations
<br />should be. The concepts range from those advocated by
<br />the wilderness enthusiast, who would keep all develop-
<br />ment or change to a minimum, to thoseof the farmer,
<br />who sees a rippling field of ripening wheat as an ideal
<br />environment. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
<br />However, there is general agreement on several
<br />primary aspects of environmental quality. The natural
<br />landscape, whether it be a natural park, forest, range of
<br />mountains, badlands, or prairie, can be used and managed
<br />by man to retain much of its original high quality. In the
<br />past, this has not been done in many instances and for
<br />various reasons, many of which were economic, as in the
<br />
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<br />
<br />case of strip-mining or the dumping of raw sewage into
<br />streams and rivers. Open, unspoiled spaces of almost any
<br />type have an appeal to all, especially the urbanite.
<br />Water, in a natural lake or stream or in a man-made
<br />reservoir, has a fascination for the human spirit. It
<br />enhances practically all types of landscape environment.
<br />The lakes and streams of Yellowstone National Park add
<br />greatly to its scenic qualities. Quake Lake improves the
<br />scenic values of a unique geological area. The remote
<br />lakes and tumbling streams in national forest areas are
<br />highly prized. Even when man's activities are not
<br />directly related to the water, its presence furnishes a
<br />setting that increases his aesthetic gratification.
<br />Many of the unique features of the basin such as
<br />those of scenic, geological, ecological, or historical
<br />importance have been located and are already preserved
<br />or are identified in plans for preservation. In the final
<br />analysis, it must be remembered that man is part and
<br />parcel a resident or visitor to the basin. His changing and
<br />varied activities can fit within a socially desirable
<br />framework that includes an enhanced environment.
<br />For the purpose of plan formulation, environmental
<br />aspects fall into two fundamental categories. One in-
<br />volves amelioration of undesirable environmental con-
<br />ditions and resource developments which contribute to
<br />their improvement. This category includes such func-
<br />tions as pollution abatement and water quality control,
<br />development of water supply, flood abatement, and
<br />improvements for recreation and fish and wildlife
<br />enhancement. These potentials have been outlined in
<br />preceding paragraphs. It is assumed also that programs
<br />for vector control and solid wastes management will be
<br />implemented in the future.
<br />
<br />The second category involves planning for preser-
<br />vation of the basin's heritage of environmental resources.
<br />This category includes an identification of areas of
<br />pronounced natural beauty and scenic value, areas of
<br />historical interest, and areas of scientific interest. The
<br />objective of plan formulation in this latter category is to
<br />identify these environmental features by their character
<br />and geographic location, to determine those measures
<br />
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