Show 1 r LETS LET'S GUARD WHAT PAT IS 18 LEFT i By W. W Earl District Conservationist t if- if 1 r Soil Conservation Service i char CHAPTER CIL x TJI There Thero Is Still Hope a t Tho The story which we have just completed was taken from tho the history of Southern Utah What does It t tell Yes we have read an interesting story ston of the Ule settlement settlement set set- of all nIl towns In Garfield I Kane San Juan and the eastern half haIr of Iron and Washington counties But have we grasped the tho significance of the meaning of what has been lost What Is 1 s going And what we are expected expects expect expect- ed 10 lo save for for posterity Some of the towns which are now V ghost towns I such as Johnson P Par a r i t a Northup Adairville and others have lost all their basic resources resources- tho the soil They will never live again Many of our smaller communities com- com are on their way out for the same reason For example It It Is estimated that more than 30 per cent of arable lands in IJ the tho Upper Parla Paria Valley has washed away Our more pros- pros p lOuS towns covered In this stOry story cannot expect to advance advance- furth further r if the soil Is still allowed allow allow- ed to be taken away Cedar City St. St George Kanab Kanah and Panguitch aro arc goo good examples It all bares out the need for immediate installation of soil and moisture conservation tices Most 1 of our steeper watersheds watersheds watersheds water water- sheds havo have been depleted and some completely denuded of vegetation vegetation needed to hold the soil in place Raw banks along live I streams are eroding back hack onto valuable irrigated fields taking tons of good topsoil annually into our expensive reser reservoirs built to store sture water for both irrigation ion and electrical power Poor use of Irrigation water on irrigated fields by allowing I excessive wa waste te water to go over raw banks is taking its toll of valuable topsoil down the streams Irrigating up and downhill downhill down downhill hill and not dry farming on the contour Is also taking its toll Excessive use use of Irrigation water is creating a loss of valuable lands needed to produce crops cros Lower lands are arc becoming waterlogged waterlogged waterlogged water water- logged and accumulating harmful harmful harmful harm harm- ful alkalis thus creating major drainage problems What is being done about it First of all the agricultural people peo peo- plo in all communities farmers communities farmers and ranchers ranchers have havo organized soil sell conservation districts These supervised farmer State Organizations Organizations Organizations have ha and received re- re ed cel services of at trained conservation conservation conservation conser conser- and engineering technicians ans Paid by the tho Federal Government Government Govern Govern- ment these Soil Conservation Service Senico technicians are working full time on erosion problems set sel up on a priority basis by dietrict district district dis die governing go bodies Local county agents State Soil SoU Conservation Conservation Conservation Con Con- Committee Forest Service Service Service Ser Ser- vice personnel technicians rangers rangers rang- rang ers eis supervisors Pl IA officials and the Bureau of Land nd Management Management Management Manage Manage- ment are also interested In stopping stopping stopping stop stop- ping the erosion menace We 0 Inn may ask Why Soil and water conservation is not wholly a local problem Its national as aspects aspects aspects as- as are numerous Americas America's survival as a top nation in the world both socially and politically politically caU cally will depend principally upon upon upon up up- on the conservation of her natural natural natural natu natu- ral soil resources oi and water are arc ro her most basic resources Expensive Expensive Ex Ex- pensive reservoir fertile farms cities railroads canals highways highways highways high high- ways and numerous other developments developments developments de de- depend mostly upon the upper watersheds of which wo we are a part for their actual existence Valuable topsoil washed wash ed cd off our watersheds ranges and farms not only depleted our own productivity and standard of living but seriously affect those below us Action and thoughtful thinking thinking thinking think think- ing on our part today In conserving conserving con con- serving our natural resources will mean the making or breaking of or America tomor tomor- row We have the tools to do dothe dothe dothe the job There job There Is Still Hope The End |