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Show SUMMARY This appendix displays present watershed conditions existing and future problems, and the opportunities available to solve these problems. These opportunities have been translated into selected alternative programs to resolve all or part of the problems described. The report is directed toward showing the effects that protection measures will have in contributing to or limiting production outputs while maintaining a desirable watershed condition. The programs are the same as those in the Land Resource and Use Appendix. Each program provides both produc- tion and the protection required and cannot be logically separated into production and protection components. Watershed management programs also directly affect flood problems in upstream areas. Flood and sediment damages resulting from upstream watershed problems and a summary of watershed treatment oriented to watershed protection and flood pre- vention are included in the Flood Control Appendix. Present upstream watershed problems cause $8.7 million annual damages: $6.7 million from erosion, $1.4 million from flood and sediment, and $0.6 million from fire. Erosion is the most significant problem, affecting 30.5 million acres. Approximately 3.9 million acres are in critical erosion condition. Erosion affects 29,119,000 acres or 47 percent of forest and rangeland, mainly due to soil disturbance caused by overgrazing, timbering, mining, fire and road construction. Erosion is the dominant problem on 1,075,000 acres or 48 percent of cultivated and pasture land resulting in $0.5 million loss annually. Erosion on 286,000 acres of urban and other land causes $480,000 in damage annually. Flood and sediment damage occurs on 429,000 acres, causing $1.4 million damage annually, as a result of upstream watershed problems. Flood waters cause damage to vegetation, structures and improvements, with loss of animal and human life, and disrupt transportation and communication facilities. Storage capacity of reservoirs is reduced due to sediment accumulation. Sediment also affects fish habitat and and is detrimental to water quality. Fire is an annual problem on 27,000 acres of forest and rangeland. It destroys timber, aesthetic values, livestock forage, wildlife habitat, and increases erosion and resultant sedimentation. The 30.9 million acres having erosion, sediment, and flood problems, and needing treatment are highlighted in the discussion of watershed treatment. Of the total region 72.2 million acres about 9 million acres had adequate watershed treatment as of 1965 as shown in Tables 1 and 2. Projected watershed management protection programs needed for the "Framework Plan" (based on Regionally Interpreted OBERS projections of future production aad needed resources) are expressed in acreage, |