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Show Local interests usually provide their own water supplies. The available supplies, however, will be greatly affected, both as to quantity and quality, by multiple-purpose development. Accordingly, in planning multiple-purpose projects the needs and views of those concerned with water supply prob- lems should be considered. Improper land use and forest practices in many areas have resulted in depletion of topsoil and ac- tive gully erosion and have contributed to flood damage hazards. Although the silt problem is not as great as in some other major river basins, it is serious in many areas and should be alleviated. Broad State watershed management programs en- tailing the cooperation of State and local agencies and private individuals must be prepared as a fun- damental part of the basin program. State and local agencies are now responsible for establishing and maintaining public recreation fa- cilities in the basin. Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia have agreed to assume full responsibilty for the recreation features around three of the com- pleted Federal reservoirs, subject to approval by the Corps of Engineers. State agencies are prima- rily responsible for enforcing regulations for pre- serving fish and wildlife resources. The Federal programs in this basin are described in chapter 3 of this report. Until recent years most water projects have been undertaken to meet specific problems with inci- dental consideration for functions other than the primary purpose. Except for the Tennessee Valley experiment, no basin-wide plans have been made nor programs carried out in the Ohio Basin which are designed to achieve the maximum potential benefits from multiple-purpose use of water and land resources. Federal, State, and local agencies, and private in- dividuals all have important responsibilities in such a program. All should cooperate in the planning stages. The knowledge which local and State peo- ple have concerning problems in their regions should be tlie starting point in the planning to make sure that th\e final multiple-purpose program will be related as closely as possible to the people's needs. Federal and State agencies should contribute from the knowledge they have gained from experience with other Avater resources programs. The purpose of all interests must be to achieve the most that is possible throughout the basin from the wise use of the basin's water and land resources. State and local agencies should help finance con- struction o:f Federal works of an essentially local character, and should participate, financially and otherwise, in the maintenance and operation of those works. They should also assume responsi- bility for securing reimbursement from primary and secondary beneficiaries of such works where some sort of assessment is required to accomplish this end. Conclusions The States and other local public agencies in the Ohio Basin have great interest and concern in Fed- eral programs relating to the control and use of the water resources. Because of this interest and con- cern they should participate directly in all phases of the planning of these programs, beginning at the early stages to insure that their ideas and proposals are carefully considered before programs become fixed. State and local agencies should participate in financing the construction of Federal works which directly affect their interests, and should par- ticipate financially and otherwise in the operation and maintenance of most of these works. This par- ticipation is essential, as the local plans may directly affect or be affected by works of other public agencies. Legislation may be necessary in some instances to provide for complete participation. In order to assure unity in planning and a com- bination of uses of basin resources which will best serve regional and national interests, such State and regional participation should be related to a com- mon effort to develop a comprehensive multiple- purpose program for the basin as a whole. This program should be formulated within the frame- work of Federal water resources policy. 5. Allocation of Funds to Local Political Units in Lieu of Taxes The Problem Effect of resources development activities on local government finances, and means of compensation for hardship. The Situation In the Ohio River Basin, most Federal land pur- chases will be for reservoir sites, rights-of-way for railroad, highway, and utility relocations, and mar- ginal lands for extension of national forests. The aggregate area acquired for the 35 reservoirs completed or being constructed is 460^000 acres. The aggregate area at maximum pool elevations for 666 |
