Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-27
BIZ John STEEP

conserving the soil that sustains
them. but all too few make con-
servation q practice.
This laxity is especially no
ticeable in the Potomac River
basin. Only Al per cent Of the
10 million acres Of farmland
within the 20 soil conservation
districts in the basin are COM
mitted to plans for saving the
soil and making the most of
available water.
To Federal officials the per-
centage is "disappointingly low"
The average among other water
sheds across the Nation is be-
tween SO and rs per cent sub
scription to active conservation
measures.
The proper handling Of farm
and wood land is Of great i'm
portance not only in arresting
erosion and the washing away of
soil fertility. but in controlling
the quality and quantity Of water
in the basins streams.
One has only to observe the
Potomac and many of its tribu-
taries after q hard rain to seet
the muddy and turbulent effects
Of improper care of the land.
The by-products. aside from
plain unsightliness and ruina-
ton Of the soil, are floods, siltedI
dams and navigation channels
and harm to drinking water
supplies.
Urban Areas Also Guilty
Since the vast majority Of
acreage In the Potomac water
shed Is in farms or woods, the
condition Of the land In those
areas has the greatest single
influence on the state Of the
streams. But the urban areas
make q serious, II limited, i'm
pact Of their own.
This is especially 30 in such
rapidly expanding sections asI
the Washington Metropolitan
Area where all but q handful Of
building developers fiout virtu-
ally every known law Of soil
conservation.
With the bulldozer as the
symbol Of these operations, whole
woods have been wiped out, top
soil stripped and. in many cases,
whole hillsides leveled.
With natural ground covert
gone and spring heads extermi-
mated, the ground in most de
veloped" places has lost its nat
ural capacity to store water.
The result is practically dry
stream beds when it doesn't |
rain, and roaring muddy tor
rents when it does.
In all the experience Of the
Soil Conservation Service, the
number Of area developers seek
ing its counsel can be numbered
on the fingers Of one hand. The
figure roughly corresponds to
the number of housing subdivi-
sions that have their native
trees and contours reasonably
intact.
Basically Voluntary
Soil conservation is basically
a voluntary matter that rests
with the private owner, although
State laws sometimes impose
certain requirements.
The conservation districts
themselves are created only by
referendum of landowners of
the area and under State gov
eminent supervision. The Poto-
mac basin is completely organ
tied in these districts except for
parts Of three western Pennsyl-
vania counties.
Once organized the districts
can request technical assistance
from the Federal Soil Conserva-
ton Service for proper planning
Of land use. The service deter
mines such things as soil type,
land contour treatment, and
production capabilities Of the
land.
Working from an approved
plan. the farmer may then re-
ceive financial help from another
division of the Agriculture De-
partment-up to SO per cent Of
the total cost Of his agricultural
conservation program.
An alternative for Federal A.
nancial aid is. the new "soil
bank" program. Under this sys-
tenn, the farmer may place part
Of his land in conservation re-
serve" let part Of 1t stand idle
and develop the remainder ac-
cordingly to its prescribed and
approved land capability.
To a lesser degree, some dis
tricts comparatively purchase
machinery, crop seeds and
plants for mutual benefit and
the Federal Government makes
grants Of surplus machinery.
Two Other U. S. Laws
Two other important Federal
laws are on the books to help
river basin inhabitants-the
Flood Control Act Of 1886 ans
the Watershed Protection and
Flood Prevention Act Of 1854.
The Potomac watershed to