74TH CONGRESS 1st Session

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SENATE

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REPORT No. 502

TO FACILITATE THE CONTROL OF SOIL EROSION AND/OR FLOOD DAMAGE ORIGINATING UPON LANDS WITHIN THE EXTERIOR BOUNDARIES OF THE UINTA AND WASATCH NATIONAL FORESTS,

UTAH

APRIL 15 (calendar day, APRIL 17), 1935.-Ordered to be printed

Mr. WAGNER, from the Committee on Public Lands and Surveys, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 376]

The Committee on Public Lands and Surveys, to whom was referred the bill (S. 376) to facilitate the control of soil erosion and/or flood damage originating upon lands within the exterior boundaries of the Uinta and Wasatch National Forest, Utah, having carefully considered same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass with the following amendment:

Page 2, line 5, after the word "hereby", insert the words "authorized to be".

The facts concerning the proposed legislation are set forth in the favorable letter from the Secretary of Agriculture under date of February 25, 1935, which is herewith attached and made a part of this report.

Hon. ROBERT F. WAGNER,

Chairman Committee on Public Lands and Surveys,

FEBRUARY 25, 1935.

United States Senate.

DEAR SENATOR WAGNER: Receipt is acknowledged of your letter of January 11 transmitting a copy of bill S. 376, to facilitate the control of soil erosion and/or flood damage originating upon lands within the exterior boundaries of the Uinta and Wasatch National Forests, Utah, and requesting the views of this Depart-. ment thereon.

The two national forests named embrace important parts of the Wasatch Range in Utah. The west slopes of this range form the east margin of Salt Lake Valley, Ogden Valley, Provo Valley, etc. Although these slopes are steep and markedly susceptible to erosion, they were in large part appropriated under the public land laws in the early days of settlement of the valleys named and they are now in private ownership. When the Wasatch and the Uinta National Forests were established their boundaries were fixed so as to exclude the privately owned lands.

S. Repts., 74-1, vol. 1-59

The greater part of the virgin timber resources of the lands in question was used to develop the tributary valley. Subsequent fires destroyed or impaired much of the succeeding forest cover, and because of their availability as spring and fall ranges the lands were very heavily stocked with domestic livestock. Due to these three causes the vegetative cover which once protected the steep slopes and held the soils in place very largely has been destroyed.

In consequence of these conditions soil erosion has been greatly accelerated and every so often heavy rainfall results in torrential floods which carry enormous volumes of soil, detritus and debris, and results in heavy destruction of property in the adjoining valleys. Fertile farmlands are overdeposited with infertile sediment and rocks; railroads and highways are obstructed so as to arrest traffic for considerable periods; large quantities of mud and rock are deposited in the streets and residential areas of the nearby communities, and other serious damage results. Detailed studies made in 1930 by a special commission appointed by George H. Dern, then Governor of Utah, determined beyond dispute that these destructive floods and landslides originated exclusively in the denuded portions of the slopes, never in the parts which still support stands of timber. The conclusion seemed inescapable that if the forest cover could be reestablished on the denuded areas much if not all of the damage which now intermittently occurs could be averted. Neither the State nor the several municipalities concerned, nor the owners of tributary private lands are in a position to undertake the necessary work of restoration. The proposal, therefore, has been made that these areas be added to the adjoining national forests so as to permit of their economical and effective management and the gradual restoration of a forest cover.

Due to the large proportion of private lands involved a prerequisite to successful Federal management would be Federal acquisition of the lands. Consideration has been given to the purchase of these lands under the provisions of the act of March 1, 1911 (36 Stat. 961), particularly as amended by the act of June 7, 1924 (43 Stat. 653.) These acts, however, authorize Federal purchase of forest lands only for the protection of the upper headwaters of navigable streams or for the production of timber upon lands upon the watersheds of navigable streams. Since the areas drain almost directly into Great Salt Lake, and since their timber productive capacity is comparatively limited, they hardly meet the requirements of the two acts referred to.

The logical course of action, therefore, appeared to be to finance the cost of acquiring these lands from the receipts from the national forests of which they would become parts if or when acquired. Since the act of May 23, 1908 (35 Stat. 260), provides for the payment to the counties of 25 percent of the gross receipts from the national forests, the employment of the total receipts from the Wasatch and Uinta Forests for the acquisition of the lands in question would, in effect, mean that 25 percent of the cost of such acquisition would be met by the counties in which the national forests are situated. This arrangement is understood to be entirely acceptable to the counties concerned and to the officials of the State of Utah.

The bill S. 376 would legislatively authorize an arrangement of the character indicated. If it were enacted into law, this Department each year could extend Federal ownership over the lands upon which erosion control and protection are most urgently required until, after a period of perhaps 10 years or less, all such lands were owned by the United States. This plan would not impose any immediate drain upon the Treasury and actually would mean the assumption by the United States of only three-fourths of the cost of purchasing the lands. The bill S. 376 has the full approval of this Department, and I strongly recommend its favorable consideration by your committee.

Very sincerely yours,

H. A. WALLACE, Secretary.

APRIL 15 (calendar day, APRIL 17), 1935.-Ordered to be printed

Mr. SHEPPARD, from the Committee on Commerce, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 2505]

The Committee on Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (S. 2505) authorizing a preliminary examination of Sebewaing River, in Huron County, Mich., with a view to the controlling of floods, having considered the same, report favorably thereon, and recommend that the bill do pass without amendment.

The bill has the approval of the Department of War, as will appear by the annexed communication.

WAR DEPARTMENT, April 13, 1935.

Respectfully returned to the Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, United States Senate.

This Department is not aware of any objection to the enactment of Senate bill no. 2505, authorizing a preliminary examination of Sebewaing River, in Huron County, Mich., with a view to the controlling of floods.

GEO. H. DERN, Secretary of War.