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Show lems. For example, to obtain coordination of vari- ous purposes and agencies in planning the operation of the multiple-purpose Harlan County Reservoir, a special group has held several conferences during the past few years. These conferences have dealt with the needs of all interests and means of recon- ciling them in the specific operational objectives for the reservoir. Participants have included repre- sentatives of the Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, Federal Power Commission, Public Health Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Depart- ment of Agriculture, Geological Survey, Weather Bureau, National Park Service, State engineers, and representatives of interested State agencies in Kan- sas, Nebraska, and Colorado. After some discussion the committee recom- mended establishing a group in each State to fos- ter cooperation and coordination between State and Federal agencies on water development proj- ects. Where existing organization of State agencies was not adequate, special committees have been established. Organization and procedure vary with the different States to fit the local needs. These committees acquaint the various State agencies with plans affecting or associated with their work and seek interchange of information and accommoda- tion of the various interests in the plans. Federal agencies faced with reservoir operation problems liave generally proceeded gradually, in cooperation with the States and other agencies and interests, to work out satisfactory solutions to mutual problems. They consider this approach to be well suited to the Missouri Basin, where 20 years or more will fce needed to complete project construc- tion, and utilization of water resources will be expanding and developing over a half century. Initial operating agreements for each reservoir must be carefully worked out as construction nears com- pletion, consistent with the basin program, and providing for desirable modification as needed. Agreements have been reached between the Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation on the operation of tributary reservoirs of both agencies. For eacli reservoir or system of reservoirs an individual operating agreement is being worked out between the Federal agencies and State officials, other agencies, and other interests, before construc- tion is completed. On reservoirs constructed by the Bureau, of Reclamation, the Corps of Engineers will prescribe regulations for flood control storage. The Corps will also be responsible for flood control reservoir operation to meet local conditions. Sim- ilarly, the Bureau and the Corps will enter into specific operating agreements for irrigation storage, as determined by the Bureau and the States, in reservoirs constructed by the Corps of Engineers. These agreements would be subject to periodic review. Beyond the technical phases of reservoir opera- tion, there is a problem of coordinating such proj- ects with those previously authorized. Basin-wide development of projects in the plan adopted by the 1944 Flood Control ActM will affect and be affected by individually authorized projects. While most functions are affected to some extent, probably the most readily apparent case is electric power. Proj- ects producing power will generally be intercon- nected, and their operation must necessarily be carefully coordinated for maximum practicable output. Since power is fed into a single transmis- sion network by all power plants and will be indistinguishable as to source, there should be a uniform rate schedule. Social and economic aspects of the over-all devel- opment should be considered along with the actual physical operation of projects in the basin plan, to obtain maximum returns. The States and other subdivisions will play an increasingly important role in creating irrigation, soil conservation, levee, drain- age, and conservancy districts, and fish and game agencies. Their activities in discharging their re- sponsibilities may lead to more specific integration in plans and operation. Many special problems, primarily of a technical nature, will arise as basin development proceeds. One such problem is the effect on health and sani- tation. Increased low-water flows will assist in alleviating water supply and pollution problems, while decreased flow in some localities may aggra- vate old problems, or cause new ones. Reduction of sediment in streams will be beneficial, while water storage may result in algae problems downstream. Problems of integrating hydroelectric power pro- duction and of marketing power will arise. Plan- ning for irrigation projects must be coordinated with other irrigation and other purposes, but opera- tion of each unit will be relatively independent of other units unless served by the same reservoir. Flood control reservoir operations will vary. In some cases they will be for local conditions only, in others they will require coordinated regional oper- ation. The relation between reservoir operations 35 Act of December 22, 1944, § 9, 58 Stat. 887, 889. 246 |