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<br />;) <br /> <br />USDA agencies have collaborated wtth other Federal and State groups in <br />seeking economically feasible means of controlling salt cedar. Early this year <br />an overall program embracing all USDA agen~y needs to carryon an effective <br />research program was presented to our budget officials. <br />, <br /> <br />USDA and the Bureau of Reclamation have collaborated to include with- <br />in the 1954 budget estimates of the Bureau, of Reclamation funds for a more <br />effective soil and water research program pn irrigated lands. <br /> <br />! <br />At the U.S. Salinity Laboratory, a major 1952 project has been complete <br />revision and bringing up to date of the 1947 Manual on Salinity and Alkali Soil <br />, <br />Diagnosis and Treatment. At Brawley, Caliif'ornia, the new Southwestern Irriga- <br />tion Research Station of the BPISAE adCle.d ito its staff this year and is getting <br />research under way. <br /> <br />The U.S. Forest Service is gOing ,ahead with long-term studies. aimed <br />at determining the effects of forest harvesting and management on water yield <br />and sediment production on headwaters of the Colorado River near Fraser. Work <br />with small plots indicates that water Yie~d can be increased 15 percent by <br />proper forest cutting methods. The small iplot work is being extended to a <br />, <br />whole watershed. At the Sierra Ancha Sta~ion in Arizona on the upper Salt <br />River watershed, the Workman Creek Unit is ready for initial timber cutting <br />operations. The :how from. this area has ~een carefully studied over a period <br />of years in its natural state. The effect of timber cutting on water yield <br />and sediment production will now be measured. <br /> <br />The Department was given COngresfiOnal authority to prepare a coordi- <br />nated long-range program of agricultural resource development in the Colorado <br />Basin to complement engineering develop:meft plans proposed by the Bureau of <br />Reclamation. The authorization was not a'llcompanied by allocation of funds, <br />however, so it has been impossible to ina\1gurate the program. <br />, <br />, <br />A special project to re.store flood damaged farm and ranch lands in' <br />Utah was authorized under Public Law 371 l"Pproved by the President June 4, 1952. <br />The Soil Conservation Service and the PrOduction and Marketing Administration <br />are handling the work. Approxtmately 2-1~4 million dollars has been granted <br />for the repair of damage in Utah by 1952 if'loods, largely to irrigation <br />facilities. ! <br />1 <br />, . <br />Upstream flood prevention survey! work by the Forest Service and the <br />SCS has been substantially reduced th:ts y;ear in the Pacific Southwest. Con- <br />gressional action reduced the funds available by nearly $271,000 or 70 percent <br />below the amount available last year. <br /> <br />':fue SCS continues to develop co*ervation farm plans in cooperation <br />with. local State-organized Soil conSerVajiOn Districts) and is providing <br />technical supervision of permanent WOrks installed under the ~ program. <br />~ is carrying on an intensive program ~imed at insuring on individual farms <br />the lIlBXimum permanent conservation resul~s with the available funds. Good <br />results are being obtained underagreeme*ts whereby the farmers pool their <br />conservation payments in financing BUbst~ntial improvements. An outstanding <br />example is the recently completed 4-1/2 mile dike to protect the main canal <br />of the Msxicopa County Water Conservation District 'Number 1 in Arizona from <br />flood damage. Ninety-five landowners patUcipated and the Agricultural <br />Conservation Program. payment of $30,000-j;as a real aid. <br />i <br />, <br />I <br /> <br />-2- <br /> <br />". <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />