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Show cost electric power. In the field of transporta- tion this has been done through the steady expan- sion of the Federal inland and intracoastal water- way system. In the field of hydroelectric power it has been done first through regulatory control associated with Federal licensing of water power developments and, more recently, through provi- sions for marketing of power developed at Federal multiple-purpose dam and reservoir projects. These phases of water resources policy are dis- cussed more fully in the chapters on inland and intracoastal ways and hydroelectric power. They are mentioned here merely to indicate the importance of low-cost transportation and power as objectives of water resources programs. Deterioration a Threat Fundamental to national and regional expan- sion is the need to halt the deterioration of our soil and water resources. More labor and ma- terials will have to be invested in conservation work simply to maintain present productivity as a necessary foundation for the still larger invest- ment required to meet the needs of an increasing population. The great increases in production in recent years, in large measure at the expense of our resources, should not blind us to the critical situation which confronts us. Water resources are part of a system of nature which includes the soil, plant and animal life, and, of course, human life. These elements are interdependent. Water resources can be safe- guarded, conserved, and brought to full useful- ness only if the farm, range, and forest lands of the country are conserved. Today they are en- dangered in many areas by destruction of forest and erosion of soil. The damage is serious and, if allowed to continue, may become irreparable over wide area.s. This Nation no longer has large reserves of unused farm and forest land. In many areas acute shortages of water are limiting industrial and agricultural development. It is therefore of critical importance to adopt whatever measures are necessary to halt further depletion. In some river basins the timing of such measures is crucial. Once a reservoir or stream channel has been allowed to silt up, or once an irrigated area has been allowed to lose produc- tivity through waterlogging or alkali accumula- tion, rehabilitation is a long, expensive, and often- times impracticable job. Large ultimate savings will result from beginning certain rehabilitation measures promptly. Our Federal programs have not brought the situation under control. In fact, there are no current programs adequate to meet our urgent national need for preservation of these renew- able resources. All targets fall far short of that mark. That is why the first resources objective, guiding the formulation of programs and appro- priations for their accomplishment, should be the safeguarding of our soil, forest, and water heritage. Existing Legislation Inadequate Water resources development projects and measures should not be undertaken by the Federal Government as ends in themselves, but rather to achieve certain important national objectives and goals. It should be obvious, then, that projects can properly be planned, and their feasibility evaluated, only in terms of such objectives. Where the national objectives and goals are not consistently and clearly specified, individual proj- ects are difficult to appraise and conflicts among purposes and uses of water become inevitable. This is the situation today. While these objec- tives can never be defined with complete accu- racy, the fact must be faced that national policy with respect to the development and use of water resources, as set forth in existing legislation, does not provide an adequate framework for fully coordinated planning and development or for the resolution of conflicts among various existing and potential uses. The enactment of basic legislation setting forth the national objectives which are to determine the character, scope, and direction of Federal activi- ties in the water resources field is highly necessary. Such legislation would serve to guide the evolu- 40 |