measures consisting of one floodwater retarding structure, one sump, 3.6 miles of fencing and wildlife plantings. The floodwater retarding structure and the off-stream sump will have a total storage capacity of 897 acre-feet.

Benefit-cost ratio.-2.4 to 1. With secondary benefits excluded the benefitcost ratio is 2.2 to 1.

Area benefited.-2,500 acres.

Number of beneficiaries.—Owners and operators of about 50 farms located in and downstream from the watershed.

1 This is primarily the cost of applying land treatment measures by landowners. Cost sharing from Federal funds appropriated for the agricultural conservation program may be available if included in the county program developed each year in consideration of approved State and National programs and the annual authorization by the Congress. * Consisting of:

Construction cost for fish and wildlife.

Administration of contracts..

Land, easement, and rights-of-way.

The value of measures already installed ($1,232,500) increases this to 88 percent.

$5,100

4,800

328, 200

Prorated Public Land 566 structural cost per acre benefited.—$112. Carrying out the project.-The Board of Supervisors of Merced County assumes all local responsibility for installation, operation and maintenance of all structural measures. The estimated annual cost of operation and maintenance is $4,500.

The CHAIRMAN. We will then pass to the Mustang Creek, Calif., watershed.

Mr. WELD. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee: the Mustang Creek watershed is located in the Central Valley of California. some 10 miles due east of the city of Turlock. The area is about 8 miles long by 3 miles wide and includes 14,500 acres. The major portion lies in north central Merced County. The upper watershed extends into adjacent Stanislaus County. Mustang Creek discharges into High Line Canal, which is a facility of the Turlock Irrigation District, and that in turn joins the Merced River about 7 miles southwest of the watershed. Farms in the watershed range from 20 acres to several hundred acres in size. Smaller farms generally produce orchard crops and are located in the flood plain area. The flood plain area is identified by the yellow coloring on the map. The larger units located in the upland portion of the watershed are dryfarmed. Dryland grain is produced on 73 percent of the watershed while irrigated grain occupies 1 percent. Eighteen

percent of the area is irrigated for pasture. Fruit and nuts, primarily peaches and almonds, are grown on about 5 percent of the land.

There is little off-farm employment in the watershed. A survey of the 37 farmers indicates that at the present time they all farm full time. Thirty-two of the farms are family farms and only five use more than 111⁄2 man-years of hired labor.

Agricultural products are transported by truck to the cities of Turlock-population 9,116-Merced-population 20,068 Modesto-population 36,585-and the port city of Stockton-population 86,321—for processing and redistribution.

Mustang Creek floods 2 years out of every 3. More than half of the average annual direct damage of $62,600 is caused by flooding that occurs more frequently than once in 10 years. Flooding is most likely to occur in January, February, and March. About 31 percent of the floods occur during March, April, and May when trees are susceptible to flood damage. The February 1962 flood caused damages typical of those experienced in the watershed. In 13 days there were about 7.7 inches of rainfall. About 630 acres of land were inundated for durations up to 16 days, causing damages to agricultural land, roads, and the High Line Canal. Total damages were estimated at $141,000.

The Ballico Soil Conservation District, the Turlock Írrigation District and Merced County, sponsoring organizations for the watershed, have developed a plan for watershed protection, flood prevention, and wildlife development. Land treatment measures to be installed will consist of practices that will reduce runoff and sediment production in the watershed. Structural measures will complement the land treatment and include three interrelated features: a floodwater retarding structure, which controls about 50 percent of the watershed; 4.9 miles of improved channels; and a bifurcation structure which provides for taking care of the excess discharge from the floodwater retarding structure over and above that which can be carried by the High Line Canal, and that in turn feeds that water temporarily into a sump and then, as the outflow discharge from the floodwater retarding structure recedes, it will be diverted back into the High Line Canal. These features will be of sufficient capacity to control the 17-year flood and limit discharge into the High Line Canal to 325 cubic feet per second. This is the maximum allowable peak from Mustang Creek provided for by the Turlock Irrigation District. Wildlife habitat will be improved by installing vegetative planting to provide food, cover, and shelter within the area of the reservoir. Fencing will protect these plantings from livestock grazing. The structure will control runoff from 50 percent of the watershed. The sump is an off-channel storage feature that will store flows in excess of allowable downstream releases to the High Line Canal.

The total cost of installing land treatment, structural, and wildlife measures will be $1,880,300, of which $372,100 or 20 percent will be from Public Law 566 funds. Local interests will bear the remaining 80 percent of this cost. The value of measures already installed increases the local share to 88 percent. The prorated Public Law 566 structural cost is $112 per acre benefited.

The proposed works of improvement are designed to provide protection to farmland from a once-in-17-year storm. The project will protect about 2,500 acres of prime agricultural land. The land has a value between several hundred dollars to $3,000 per acre and, as the

report indicates, the 2,500 acres of flood plain land are valued at $3,600,000, which will give you an average of approximately $1,500

per acre.

Installation of the project will reduce the annual floodwater damages 94 percent. The annual benefits are estimated to be $64,000. The project is expected to produce $2.40 benefit annually for each $1 spent. With secondary benefits excluded, the benefit-cost ratio is 2.2 to 1. The Board of Supervisors of Merced County assumes all local responsibility for installation, operation, and maintenance of all struc tural measures. The estimated annual cost of operation and mainte nance is $4,500.

The CHAIRMAN. I would like to point out this is one of the best ratios of contribution on the part of the local people that we have had in a long time. Eighty percent of the cost is borne by local people. We do not often get that kind of project. We have had them, but they are very rare. The 2-to-1 benefit-cost ratio is also good.

Are there any questions on this project?

If there are no questions, Mr. McFall has asked permission to extend his remarks, and he is granted that permission.

(The statement follows:)

STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN J. MCFALL, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, it is a privilege to present this statement today in behalf of myself and my colleague, the Honorable B. F. Sisk, whose Congressional District adjoins mine and which will also be a primary beneficiary of the improvements contemplated by the proposed Mustang Creek Watershed Project.

An examination of the work plan clearly shows that this proposal has an excellent benefit-cost ratio, would augment the income of many farmers of limited means through prevention of periodic flooding and reduction of surplus crops, and also would develop desirable wildlife measures.

The ratio of total benefits to cost has been established as 2.4 to 1 and without the inclusion of secondary benefits is 2.2 to 1.

The watershed is approximately 8 miles long by 3 miles wide and includes 14,500 acres. The upper portion is in Stanislaus County and the lower reaches lie in Merced County.

The need is very real, for the project works will provide protection in an area outside the confines of any contemplated flood control undertaking of the Army Corps of Engineers or other agency of government. The watershed lies in a transition zone between the Sierra Nevada foothills and the San Joaquin Valley floor, often troubled during recurring periods of heavy rainfall and accelerated runoffs from melting snowpacks at higher elevations.

Farms in the watershed and floodplain range from about 20 acres to several hundred acres. Smaller farms generally produce orchard crops and are located in the floodplain area. They are primarily devoted to peaches. The larger farms are almost entirely in grain crops.

Family size farms comprise 80 per cent of the 2,500 acres in the benefit area (32 of 37). Development of additional land made possible by the implementation of the plan should increase the number of family farms.

Severity of the flood problem is emphasized by the fact that Mustang Creek floods about two years out of every three, causing an estimated annual damage of $62,600.

I wish to commend the Ballico Soil Conservation District, whose cooperators and officers first suggested the Public Law 566 solution to the flooding problem. The District has worked closely with the Turlock Irrigation District, the County of Merced and the Soil Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in formulation of the proposal.

It appears to be a thoughtful and well-documented proposal for the improvement of farmland well suited to the purposes of Public Law 566, and I urge the Committee to issue a favorable report in its behalf.

TESNATEE CREEK WATERSHED, GA.

TESNATEE CREEK WATERSHED WORK PLAN

Size and Location.-45,194 acres in Lumpkin and White Counties.

Tributary to Chestatee River-Chattahoochee River.

Sponsors.-Upper Chattahoochee River Soil and Water Conservation District; White County, Georgia; City of Cleveland, Georgia.

Watershed privately owned, 84.5 percent; Federal land, 15.5 percent.
Number of farms: 430.

Size of farms: About 105 acres average. Purposes.-Watershed Protection, Flood Prevention, Municipal Water Supply and Recreation.

Principal measures.-Soil conservation practices on farms and forest lands; and structural measures consisting of 5 floodwater retarding structures, 2 multiple-purpose structures and 60,200 lineal feet of channel improvement. Storage capacity of the structures ranges from 372 acre-feet to 3,132 acre-feet.

Benefit-cost ratio.-1.8 to 1. With secondary and redevelopment benefits excluded, the benefit-cost ratio is 1.5 to 1.

Area benefited.-1,532 acres.

Number of beneficiaries.—Landowners and operators of 115 farms will benefit from flood prevention. The water supply will serve a community of 1,500 people and the recreation is expected to serve 36,700 visitors per year.

1 This is primarily the cost of applying land treatment measures by landowners. Cost sharing from Federal funds appropriated for the agricultural conservation program may be available is included in the county program developed each year in consideration of approved State and National programs and the annual authorization by the Congress. * Consisting of:

Construction cost for recreation and municipal water.

Installation services cost for recreation and municipal water..

Land, easements, and rights-of-way..

Administration of contracts...

*The value of measures already installed ($208,583) increases this to 40 percent.

Prorated Public Law 566 structural cost per acre benefited.—$234. Carrying out the project.-The City of Cleveland assumes all local responsibilities for installing, operating and maintaining Structure 11. White County as sumes these responsibilities for Structure 10 and associated recreational facilities. The Upper Chattachoochee River Soil and Water Conservation District will administer contracts for constructing all other structural measures and join with White County in all other responsibilities for them. The estimated annual cost of operation and maintenance is $23,297.

The CHAIRMAN. That brings us to the Tesnatee Creek, Ga., project. We shall hear from you, Mr. Lane.

Mr. LANE. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, the Tesnatee Creek watershed is located in the Chattahoochee River Basin of the Blue Ridge Mountain sector of northeastern Georgia. The major portion of this 45,194-acre watershed lies in White County with about 733 acres of upland in Lumpkin County. The topography varies from steep and mountainous to steeply rolling. Elevations range from 1,240 at its mouth to 3,150 feet above sea level at the upper end.

Approximately 18 percent of the watershed is used for cultivated crops and pasture. Most of the cropland is located in the flood plain. The current value of flood plain land averages $400 per acre. Seventysix percent of the watershed is in woodland. Except for 7,000 acres of national forest lands, the watershed is privately owned.

The city of Cleveland is located near the eastern boundary of the watershed. Cleveland has a population of 700 and is the county seat of White County.

There are approximately 430 farms in the watershed averaging 105 acres in size. The major farm enterprise is poultry and poultry products. Ninety-two percent of all farm sales are derived from this source while 5 percent comes from livestock sales and 1 percent from forest products.

Floodwater damage to crop and pasture land, roadfills and bridges occurs two to three times annually. The average annual floodwater damage is estimated to be $36,300. About 2,750 acres of land lie in the flood plain. Erosion and sediment create another $1,100 damage annually. The wells now being used for water supply by the city of Cleveland are only producing about 90 percent of the present requirements. Rationing of water is necessary during each summer. Available recreational facilities within the area are badly overcrowded.

Land treatment measures to reduce sediment and runoff are planned for the watershed. In addition, five floodwater retarding structures, one multiple-purpose flood prevention and recreation structure, and 60,200 lineal feet of stream channel improvement are planned. These measures will directly benefit 115 owners of flood plain land by reducing floodwater damages by about 70 percent. Erosion and sediment damage will be reduced by 84 percent.

It is anticipated that the storage of about 16 million gallons will provide a dependable source of raw water for 1,500 people in the Cleveland area and will create opportunity for new economic expansion and development.

Recreation facilities to be provided at the 40-acre recreational lake improvement will provide for such activities as boating, camping, swimming, and picnicking. It is estmated that 36,700 people will visit this development every year.

The estimated cost of the project totals $1,651,106. Local interests