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<br />~ <br />c-, <br />~ <br />o <br />CJl <br />c.;1 <br /> <br />-2- <br /> <br />SDecial Presentations - River Basin ODerations: <br /> <br />Two presentations were made. (I) Loren Pope, Chief of Water <br />Management Southwestern Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and <br />(2) Brooks Gallman, Area Planning Officer - Oklahoma and Texas, <br />discussed operations of their agency. Texts are attached. <br /> <br />Mr. Pope discussed the multiple use needs and resources and how the <br />Corps uses its responsibility to conduct studies and prepare plans. <br /> <br />Mr. Gallman discussed new strategies to accomplish greater efficiency <br />in total resource management. These included enhanced coordination <br />of project operations, more effective use of available supplies, <br />integration of federal, state and other projects, and consumptive use <br />of surface and groundwater resources. <br /> <br />Coordination Issues of River Basin Systems: <br /> <br />Four presentations were made. (I) David Steele, Chief of Planning, <br />Tulsa District Corps of Engineers; (2) Robert Cantrell, Assistant <br />State Conservationist USDA - Soil Conservation Service; (3) Ken <br />Carter, Chief of Planning, Little Rock District, Corps of Engineers; <br />and (4) Fred Munsell, Water Resources Planner, Southwestern Power <br />Administration. <br /> <br />Mr. Steele addressed "Reallocation of Existing storage in <br />Reservoirs." Most Corps projects are multipurpose and planned 30-40- <br />or 50 years ago. Some needs have c~anged, and it may be necessary to <br />take a look and see if the needs of the area are still compatible <br />with the existing management. Specific authority is in Section 216 <br />of the 1970 Flood Control Act. <br /> <br />Robert Cantrell addressed the "Food Security Act and How it Relates <br />to Wetlands." One objective of the Food Security Act is to remove <br />certain incentives for production of commodities on highly erodible <br />land and wetlands. Other objectives are to reduce soil loss, improve <br />water quality, preserve wetlands, and curb production of surplus <br />commodities. The "Swampbuster" provisions of the legislation gave <br />the Soil Conservation Service the responsibility for identifying <br />wetlands defined by the law. Any farmer producing crops on wetlands <br />in violation of the provisions of the law could lose certain program <br />benefits. One point of concern was how a major change in reservoir <br />operation by the Corps of Engineers would affect wetland <br />classification and would it cause a farmer to lose his program <br />benefits? Such changes in reservoir operations are considered a <br />"third party action" and are no fault of the farmer, therefore he <br />would not be subject to a penalty. <br />