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I resent that Public Law 566 is to blame for damage to streams. If sedimentation basins were to be placed below any such areas where lands are stripped bare, it would prevent much sediment from going into streams.

Much opposition comes from construction people, big industries, etc., but money could be saved in the long run by preventing the problem rather than correcting it once it is caused. Housing developments, road construction, strip mines--all these leave many acres stripped bare permitting erosion. The State Soil Conservation Committee believes sedimentation basins should be required to prevent this and in that way eliminating many of the problems.

We have many Memorandums of Understanding with the Department of Natural Resources which are renewable and can be brought up for review every year. I would like to say when these come up for review, please make recommendations and then we will as in the past give ample cooperation.

The State Soil Conservation Committee and Soil Conservation Districts work with all agencies and have good relationships, and are all aware that projects resulting from PL566 sometimes cause considerable sedimentation. However, as I pointed out, siltation can be minimized by

use of sedimentation basins.

During construction of the Sutton Dam the problem existed. Many people showed concern, but now that it is finished I defy anybody to say the water is not clear. So you see, once a project is completed the result may be quite different from what existed during construction.

Bob Quilliam, the State Conservationist, has a new memo out recommending how sedimentation can be corrected in connection with small watershed projects.

STATEMENT FOR INTER-AGENCY STREAM DISTURBANCE SYMPOSIUM

Allen Miller

Agricultural Stabilization & Conservation Service

The Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service administers several different programs of which one is of primary concern in stream channel work. This is the Agricultural Conservation Program, commonly

known as ACP.

The ACP is a cost-sharing program through which the Federal Government shares with farmers the cost of carrying out soil, water, and wildlife conservation practices.

The program for each county is developed each year by a county group composed of the ASC county committee (3 elected farmers), the county Cooperative Extension agent, county SCS technician, and the county forester of the Department of Natural Resources. All other agencies and organizations in the county which are interested in soil, water, and wildlife conservation are invited to assist with the development of this program. The county program may include most any practice for which there is a justifiable need in the county that contributes to soil, water, or wildlife conservation.

Annually farmers in West Virginia are paid approximately $1,500,000 in cost-shares which represent about 50 per cent of the cost of performing the practices. The farmer contributes the remaining part of the cost.

Some of the principal practices performed are as follows:

(1) Establishing or re-establishing permanent grass
legume cover.

(2) Application of liming material to permit the use of
grasses and legumes for soil improvement or protection.

(3) Planting trees for forestry purposes.

(4) Planting trees or shrubs to prevent wind or water erosion.

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

Improving vegetative cover by application of fertilizer
and/or lime.

Constructing water impoundment reservoirs.

Improving a stand of forest trees by weeding, thinning,
pruning, erosion control on logging road, construction
of firebreaks, and fencing.

Channel clearance and streambank or shore protection.

(9) Open and tile drainage.

(10) Establishing wildlife food and cover.

(11) Constructing wildlife ponds.

There are other practices but the major part of the funds is used for the above listed practices.

To receive assistance through the program the farmer files a request in the ASCS county office stating what practice or practices and the extent he desires to perform. These requests are reviewed by the county committee and approved or disapproved. Practices of a technical nature such as ponds, stream channel work or drainage are referred to SCS who is responsible for making a determination as to the needs. The county forester is responsible to determine what is needed when requests are made for tree planting or timber stand improvement. Final approval of these technical practices is withheld pending a report from the applicable technician. If the technician determines the practice is needed and practical, cost-sharing is approved and after performance is completed, payment is made to the farmer.

The program which has resulted in the major part of the stream channel work during 1967 was the emergency ACP. Due to a flood in March 1967, Pocahontas and Hampshire Counties were declared disaster areas and emergency ACP funds were made available to help correct the damage. The Federal Government approved $85,000 for the 1967 emergency ACP in these two counties. In Pocahontas County, 137 farmers completed practices to correct damage due to the flood with practically all of them involving stream channel work.

Another program which is administered by ASCS is the Appalachian Land Stabilization and Conservation Program. The stated purpose of this program in 1968 was to prevent siltation of the water supply in the area. This program was funded only in seven counties for 1968.

STATEMENT ON STREAM DREDGING

ON NATIONAL FOREST LANDS IN
WEST VIRGINIA

E. M. Olliver

Forest Supervisor

Monongahela National Forest

National forest lands constitute one of the largest acreages of land in West Virginia under the management of a single agency. Over 812,000 acres are in the Monongahela National Forest, 100,000 acres in the George Washington National Forest, and 8,000 acres in the Jefferson National Forest. My remarks here today will be confined to the Monongahela National Forest although the policies, management, and administration of all three national forests are essentially similar.

Water is one of the most important natural resources on the Monongahela National Forest. An average of 1-1/2 billion gallons of good quality water is produced daily. This is not by chance or accident. It is Forest Service policy that every activity on this national forest be guided by the effect that activity would have on the water

resource.

The Monongahela is the origin of, or is touched by, 16 rivers, including 540 miles of fishable streams, maintains over 700 miles of road and hundreds of bridges, sells over 50 million board feet of timber, and builds over a hundred miles of logging roads annually, is subject to almost a million days of visitor use for all purposes, is annually stocked by almost a half million catchable sized trout, grazes almost a thousand head of livestock under permit, allows minerals use and grants permits for pipelines, powerlines, telephone lines, and many other types of facilities and installations. When all of these activities are considered, it is evident that certain policies and procedures must be followed to provide adequate protection to the water resource.

POLICY:

In 1897, Congress passed the Organic Act of June 4, 1897, dedicating forest reserves for the improvement and protection of the forests, to secure favorable conditions of water flows and to furnish a continuous supply of timber. The second important act pertaining to national forest lands was the Weeks Act of 1911. This act permitted purchase of forest lands necessary to protect the flow of navigable streams. Thus, the groundwork was prepared for establishment of national forests in eastern United States. A third major act was passed just recently. This is the Multiple Use-Sustained Yield Act of June 12, 1960. This Act expressed it to be "the policy of the Congress that the National Forests are

established and shall be administered for outdoor recreation, range, timber, watershed, and wildlife and fish purposes."

OBJECTIVES:

The objective of the Forest Service is to manage national forest watersheds under multiple use and sustained yield management and development while making water available in a manner which best serves human requirements. To meet desired water yield objectives, measures will be taken to improve national forest watersheds to reduce floods, increase low season flows, increase total water yields in areas of water scarcity and improve water quality. Briefly, the Forest Service has demonstrated that it is possible to conduct all land management activities and still provide high quality water. Through maintenance of forested watersheds and coordinated management activities, flood peaks are significantly reduced. Forest Service research has also shown that it is possible to increase seasonal low flows through manipulation of evapotranspiration base (by careful timber cutting) without increasing peak flows.

PROBLEMS AND PROCEDURES:

While it is policy to provide the best possible management, many problems still prevent optimum protection of the water resource. Of prime importance is the minerals resource, and, in particular, coal. Practically all of the Monongahela that is underlain with coal, the minerals are privately owned. Those which were owned by a third party when the land was purchased by the Forest Service, permit complete freedom by the operator. Only State law prevails. Almost 140,000 acres fall into this category. With the lack of Forest Service jurisdiction as to openings, refuse or slate dumps, coal storage, roads or railroads, the operator can undertake almost any type of operation he pleases. Such high quality streams as the Cherry, Cranberry, Williams, Elk, and Shavers Fork Rivers are presently threatened by potentially destructive operations. Many miles of these streams flow through national forest land. Siltation, chemical pollution, channel disturbances and bed load movement could result from unregulated mining activity.

Another major problem is the early transportation systems which followed closely along stream courses, often necessitating channel changes and encroachment. Lack of finances made it expedient to continue use of these old grades. Limited upgrading created more encroachments on adjacent stream channels. Investments are now high, and insufficient financing prevents major relocations. The Forest Service has developed a formula and tables to guide location of new roads an adequate distance from streams, thereby providing filter strips. Distance is based on slope and erosion hazard classifications.

A number of streams on the Monongahela are in poor hydrologic condition due to past logging, forest fires, and channel disturbance from railroad grades. Many of the problem areas are in geological formations which are more subject to erosion. Round rubble is less stable than flat bedded stone. Streams such as the Cranberry, Williams, Cherry, and Shavers Fork Rivers have serious problem areas where bed load has shifted and choked stream channels. Floods overflow into adjacent areas, often contributing to more erosion.

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