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Show ment principles into their farm plans. Similarly, State and county agencies were encouraged to pro- mote various forestry practices under the Agricul- tural Conservation Plan. Deterioration shows particularly in the wide- spread practice of woods grazing. The amount of feed produced in the hardwood stands of the basin is relatively small. In their wandering in search for food, the cattle trample and compact the soil, and destroy much young growth. Indeed, the more valuable species are usually the first ones to be taken so that it is unlikely that a grazed stand will produce high quality and valuable woods. Al- though many pastured woodlands appear to be well- forested, usually there is an absence of undergrowth and litter and of young trees of desirable species. This situation can be met only by demonstration and education; because it is a widespread practice the harm It does is large. These various activities, important as they are, fall far short of getting the private forest lands so managed as to enhance the forest resource or pro- vide full protection to watershed lands. Forest fire control is applied to only 60 percent of the forest lands of the basin. The present reforestation pro- gram is proceeding at a rate that would take a cen- tury to reclothe the denuded and depleted areas that today are a source of flood runoff and sediment. The woodland demonstration program is proceed- ing more slowly than is desirable because of inade- quate personnel and funds. The importance of these various practices, and their relation to flash flows and to erosion and sedi- mentation, are being called to public attention by the watershed research of the Coweeta Ex- perimental Forest near Franklin, N. G. In this area with the highest rainfall in the East, and with mountain topography, the Forest Service has for 20 years been investigating the relation of forests to water. The runoff of many small tributary streams has been watched closely in its relation to rainfall and soil conditions. Some of these tribu- tary watershed areas are treated according to normal local practice, and on others the forest cover is treated according to scientific principles. By comparing the results, a whole new philosophy of hydrology is being developed. This research as well as that of the TVA at Copper Basin and else- where in th.e valley is providing the basis for forestry practices -which will improve the results of watershed -management. Although the various agencies-Federal, State, and local-are working together on separate phases of the program, many forestry problems remain in the valley. There is room for greater unification of the forestry programs. Progress has been made, but this does not appear to be as large as it should be considering the time that has elapsed and rates of progress being attained in other parts of the coun- try. On the part of TVA, this may be ascribed to the greater interest in the engineering phases which have understandably dominated its activities. The other agencies, because of the existence of the TVA, may have concentrated their activities elsewhere. Conclusions (1) Agriculture, including forestry, is important in the economy of the Tennessee Basin. (2) Misuse of the land has contributed to flood and sedimentation problems, as well as diminished the productive capacity of the land. (3) Work to improve use and management of water on the land has not progressed as rapidly as that to improve water use and management in the streams. Full coordination of governmental activities bearing on land treatment has not been achieved. (4) Any program for valley land treatment should be considered in the context of the entire comprehensive development program for the basin, and in its relations with all other programs which influence watershed treatment. It should also be weighed in the light of both immediate and long-term efficiency. Considered thus, the follow- ing suggestions are made: (a) Any action which lessens the flexibility of management of the TVA program as a complete comprehensive river basin program should not be encouraged. The development of the basin program as a unit is considered a higher good than the achievement of the greatest efficiency in all component phases of the program, although it is to be hoped that those phases eventually will receive the fullest attention compatible with the general welfare of the basin. (b) Efforts to develop local initiative, maxi- mum local community participation and fi- nancing, and simplified local governmental re- lations are long-term experiments of much sig- nificance and are well worth continuing. (c) The small watershed management ap- proach to land treatment deserves further en- couragement, and wider application as soon as 758 |