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Show can support many fewer animals. Most of the na- tional forest lands are used as summer range as a supplement to pasture or range lands on the plains. The grazing district and other Federal lands are chiefly spring-fall range, though many are uti- lized in summer also. Heavy use of the public ranges is the rule rather than the exception, al- though there are areas too far from water or so inaccessible that they are not used at all. Many of the Federal range lands are not in good condition. Some were brought to this state before they were placed under administration. They have also suffered from recurrent drought and overuse. In consequence, many of these public lands have continued to deteriorate, weeds have replaced the grasses and more palatable plants, and erosion is prevalent. As a result, flash floods and sedimenta- tion are causing damages to local enterprise and to downstream engineering works financed from public funds. Unfortunately, and despite legislation which calls for placing good watershed conditions above othei uses or returns, the managing agencies have not been able to take firm and prompt action as land condition requires. In part this comes from inade- quate numbers of trained personnel, in part from local opposition of the livestock industry. The intermingled character of private lands- frequently the key lands about available water sup- plies-with the Federal grazing lands in the upper basin intensifies the problem. The apparent im- mediate interests of private landowners in using the public range may be opposed to the public interest in wise conservation and the long-time best use of the land and its resources. Their interests also are not the interests of downstream water users. Consequently a major conflict exists, a conflict that has many roots deep in the history of our national land policies and in the attitudes of local people toward the public ranges and their administration. Although the Taylor Grazing Act of 193415 was for the prevention of overgrazing and soil deterio- ration and to provide for the orderly use, man- agement, and development of the public grazing lands, the attitude of the livestock industry in many instances has not encouraged inaugurating a plan of grazing use consistent with the best use of the soil and water resources on these lands over the long term. State lands generally are in worse condition than the Federal lands. Most of these are school lands, 15 Act of June 28, 1934, 47 Stat. 1269, 43 U. S. G. 315. 212 granted by the Federal Government to the States for school purposes, and which have not yet passed out of public ownership. These lands are normally in scattered tracts of 640 acxes each, two such sec- tions in a township. Most of the range lands are leased to nearby private owzners or adjacent range users and probably receive less care and attention than any other class of lands in the basin, as the lessees usually attempt to get maximum immediate value from the land. In some cases, a State has been able so to trade or exchange its lands with private owners as to consolid ate the land into larger units. Because of their size^ such lands command a higher return from stockmen but usually are of such small size or so located that their administra- tion or management by the State is out of the ques- tion. If each State could consolidate its holdings into manageable units, this empire of 15 million acres could provide a real return to the States and be so administered as greatly to increase its value to the public as range and for watershed purposes. At present, the State lands are declining in value. They are deteriorating by overuse and misuse. No State as yet has taken a firm and progressive step toward the care and management of its lands. The overgrazing of the grasslands has had serious effects upon erosion and runoff. As a result of accelerated erosion, large amounts of soil are being washed away or removed b»y wind. That which is blown away may add slightly to the fertility of lands in the eastern States. That which is washed away adds to the sediment bmirden of many streams and may come to rest in some downstream reservoir. Increased water flow, as a result of range mis- use, may not be serious when considered in the light of the over-all water needs. However, local areas certainly suffer when water does not enter the soil, for in many parts of the basin, range productivity is directly connected with soil moisture. Studies of the Department of Agriculture show that infiltra- tion in some localities has been cut from 50 to 80 percent, as a result of livestock abuse. Reseeding is not the whole answer, as some of the introduced grasses do not restore soil permeability. Despite the poor showing of some grasses, a large reseeding program is needed, for range forage and to reduce erosion. At least L7.5 million acres need this treatment. Range water facilities are also needed, probably more than 400,000 stock ponds to provide better stock distribution. Such facilities, however, will require over 75,000 wells and the development of 30,000 springs and seeps. Many |