The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“INTRODUCTION OF THE SMALL WATERSHED REHABILITATION AMENDMENTS OF 1998” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1555 on Aug. 5, 1998.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
INTRODUCTION OF THE SMALL WATERSHED REHABILITATION AMENDMENTS OF 1998
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HON. FRANK D. LUCAS
of oklahoma
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, August 5, 1998
Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, today, I am introducing the
``Small Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments of 1998''. This bill will address the serious infrastructure needs of our nation's aging community sponsored--USDA assisted dams.
``The Small Watershed Amendments of 1998'' provides a responsible legislative proposal aimed at addressing the infrastructure needs of our aging watershed dams. It defines the problems, calls for an assessment of the problem, creates a cost-share program to address the need, and authorizes funding of the program.
During the week of July 4th, 1998, a celebration in Cordell, a small farming community in Western Oklahoma, marked the 50th anniversary of America's first United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) floodwater retarding structure. Constructed in 1948, the Cloud Creek Watershed Site #1 was built under the authorization of the Flood Control Act of 1944 (P.L. 534). This authorization was a result of a belief in Congress that rural watershed protection, flood protection, proper land management, and keeping raindrops close to where they fall was best addressed through technical assistance available through the USDA. Works under P.L. 534 were authorized in 11 major watersheds throughout the country. The success of P.L. 534 spawned the enactment of the Pilot Watershed Program in 1953 and the Watershed Protection and Floodwater Protection Act of 1954 (P.L. 566). P.L. 566 is commonly referred to as the USDA Small Watershed Program. Over 10,000 flood retarding structures have been built across the nation under these combined programs.
The Small Watershed Program is one of our nation's most successful public/private partnerships. In all instances, the USDA served as a partner with states and local entities by encouraging sponsorship of sites, providing cost-share funding for construction, doing site and geologic surveys, and providing engineering and design expertise. The local district provided all the land, easements and right of ways, covered local construction costs, managed the contracting process, and continue to operate and maintain completed works.
The Cloud Creek celebration serves as a reminder to all of us that over 1,000 of the structures built under these programs are now over 40 years old. Most of the structural measures built have an evaluated life of fifty years or have been swallowed up by urban development. It is time to address the rehabilitation needs of these aging structures.
Every state in the Union will eventually be impacted by this problem. I would encourage my colleagues to review the legislation, and I look forward to their support.
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