The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1953-05-08
INSTALLMENT 1
Missouri Basin

Missouri Basin
l. Land and water are lifegiving,
DEMONSTRATING resources of the Mis-
souri, Basin. It's future depends on
the wise development of these. The
people insist that resources be con-
served, improved and managed for
the greatest of lasting benefit. They
believe in a multiple purpose poten-
TALLY and that the present program
lacks coordination and balance. Such
sentiment and appraisal has been
developed by extensive public hear
ings and many detailed investiga-
tions. Separate examination of the
multitude of specific resources de-
cisions has been beyond reach of the
Commission. Whether their sum total
deserves confidence is an unanswer-
able question" The Commission does
find lack of coordination and bal
ance and that basin development
should be entrusted to a new agency,
to control it as a single purpose prof.
ect.
2. The Basin covers one-sixth Of
Continental United States, has an
economy that is predominately agri-
cultural, and is now making a vital
contribution to national food needs.
Water and its proper conservation,
control and use is the key to the
Basins future. At times, and over
parts of the area, there is too much
water-floods. At other times, and
over larger areas, there is too little
water-drought. On the whole, the
water supply is not sufficient for
all the useful purposes it can serve
8. Wide variation mark the flow
of water in the Missouri River and
its tributaries. Rapid snow-melt in
the spring or heavy rains during the
summer often cause disastrous floods.
A few weeks, or months, later, there
drought. Actually, floods and droughts
constitute one problem rather than
two. Relative to these matters, there
has been circulation of too much
"loose information. The people are
entitled to the truth. eff there is to
be sound approach to the problem
of flood control, it must start with
the knowledge of many circumstances
contributing to destructive floods.
Not one, but many techniques must
be called upon-technique adapted
to weather and climate, its abnormal
conditions, to the unexpected as we'll
as the anticipated.
Note Part III of the Report des-
cribes the physical characteristics of |
the Basin, such as land, Soils climate !
and water.
Perhaps the only information that has
not been widely distributed before,
pertains to ground water. Approximate
ly 500 of Missouri River flow comes
from the overflow of subsurface res
ervoirs Some of the surface flow gets
back to subsurface reservoirs by infil-
tration Probably the total recoverable
quantity of ground water will annually
exceed the volume stored in surface
reservoirs "Ground water is an import
ant resource, use of which can. and is,
being expanded materially. This re-
auires research and study, as well as
measures to husband the supply and as
sure that it is nowhere depleted be-
y0nd repIenishment.v A chapter on
economic development contains much
factual material on trends in popula-
ton; agriculture; climate; land use, and
ownership; energy; fuels and minerals;
industrial development; commercial
trade: fish and wildlife; and forests.
Details relative to these subjects need
not be reproduced here.