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Show rect responsibility to establish such areas. Con- gress has authorized a National Seashore Recrea- tion Area at Cape Hatteras, N. C, which will be established when the necessary lands have been acquired and donated to the United States. The National Park Service has been given authority to cooperate with States, local subdivisions, and Federal agencies in planning for adequate public park, parkway, and recreation area programs and their development. Although this does not relate specifically to planning for public beaches, it does make possible Federal assistance in plan- ning for the development of such areas within the limits of the funds available for this work. The Army Engineers are authorized to coop- erate with State and local governmental agencies to study shore protection and improvement, with the Federal Government assuming one-half of the cost of such studies. In 1946 Congress passed legislation stating a policy which provided that the Federal Government would contribute a max- imum of one-third toward the cost of construction for the improvement and protection of publicly owned shorelines against erosion by waves and currents for the purpose of preventing damage to public property and promoting and encouraging the healthful recreation of the people. Three States-Connecticut, Ohio, and Cali- fornia-have entered into cooperative agreements with the Army Engineers for studies covering all their shores, and Illinois has arranged for study of the shore line of Lake Michigan within that State. Congress has authorized shore pro- tection projects in Mississippi, Massachusetts, Virginia, Connecticut, and Florida, although no funds have yet been made available for construc- tion. While this program promises substantial assistance to State and local agencies in providing public beaches, it is questioned whether it will assure the reservation of sufficient sea and lake shore area for public recreation use. The Na- tional Park Service, in a 1941 report, recom- mended that 10 percent of the national coast line and shores of major lakes and streams be under Federal protection. Their present estimate doubles this amount. The beach erosion and coast protection portion of a water resources pro- gram offers important opportunity for expanding these much used areas. Use of Ponds There is a less recognized element of land and watershed management which has an important recreation potential. The construction of many small ponds as part of the farm conservation plans to provide water for livestock, for use in erosion control, conservation storage for irriga- tion, or supplemental water for gardens and farm use, is proceeding apace. Between 1936 and 1948, more than 800,000 such ponds were built with Federal assistance, while still others were de- veloped independently by private landowners. The State of Missouri alone has more than 100,000 conservation storage ponds. These range in size but generally will hold from 1 to 4 acre-feet of water. At the same time that technical assistance is provided for designing and constructing these ponds, information is also available concerning border plantings and how to fertilize and stock the water for fish production. When well man- aged, these ponds provide important recreation opportunities. Boating, swimming, and fishing are possible activities and all are enjoyed by land- owners and their friends. Conflicts in Use As water developments in our Nation proceed at an increasing tempo, they are pressing upon areas which have been devoted to other uses. Among established areas so dedicated are various types of recreation resources such as national parks, national monuments, fish and wildlife ref- uges, and wilderness areas, as well as recreation communities, which have developed on the basis of natural streams and scenery. In sections of the country where large artificial lakes promise important new recreation opportunities, the method of operation of these reservoirs may deter- mine the recreation value of these new resources. 253 |