From the Administrator:

Better dams

for better lakes

Designing dams and reservoirs-for one use or many-calls for blending the professional skills from many disciplines. It takes engineering and sedimentation geologists, hydrologists, hydraulic structure specialists, structural engineers, soil

mechanics engineers, construction engineers, recreation specialists, biologists, economists, and planning specialists.

It calls for mixing the science of dam-building with the wishes and needs of citizens and communities who sponsor or will be affected by the project.

The outstanding success of the Soil Conservation Service in helping

build manmade lakes is due largely to this integrated approach to design and construction and to the efforts of SCS specialists.

And SCS has become a major builder of dams through hundreds of watershed projects under Public Law 566 and earlier acts. Most are single-purpose floodprevention structures, but more and more are being built to serve other uses as well -to store water for recreation, for supplying homes and businesses, for irrigation, for livestock, for fire fighting.

Because of growing water-storage needs, watershed dams continue to increase in height, as does the size of the area

contributing runoff to the reservoir. We have had to take a fresh look at SCS design criteria that were developed for small dams on small watersheds.

One need is to design earth emergency spillways so that during heavy storms the volume of runoff, and velocity and duration of flow, are not increased beyond comparable values for smaller dams.

For dams having a watershed of

5 to 10 square miles, our present design criteria are adequate.

Using earth emergency spillways on

watershed dams instead of the conventional concrete spillways has saved millions of dollars. We will continue to use them

wherever they are practical and economical. Where the watershed is large or where dams are in series, auxiliary mechanical emergency spillways of durable materials such as concrete may be needed. The crest of a mechanical spillway has to be lower than that of an earth spillway to keep discharge through the earth spillway within tolerable limits.

We must remain flexible to meet changing conditions. We must seek out, develop, and apply improvements in design theory and practice, materials of construction, construction equipment and technique, foundation exploration equipment

and technique, and other methods that lead to technical excellence in performance. It is part of the SCS aim to maintain a sound technical base for all of our operations.

Kenneth E. Shant

UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE DIVISION OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS WASHINGTON, D. C. 20401

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been ruined by too many fisher

men, try a farm pond. Many farm ponds that were built primarily to supply additional irrigation water have been stocked with fish and opened to the public. These private ponds are relieving the overcrowding

on many streams and lakes.

In the past 10 years more than 400 fish ponds have been built by farmers in the Uintah Basin Soil Conservation District in Utah. The

acre to 1,300 surface acres. The Soil Conservation Service has helped with the technical planning of these ponds. The Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife has furnished rainbow trout for stocking. Many farmers have stocked their ponds with fish from private hatcheries.

The Uintah Basin is bordered by the high Uintah Mountains on the north and the wild and rugged Book Cliffs on the south. Every year

thousands of people come to hunt, fish, sightsee, or just relax in this beautiful eastern Utah area.

It is estimated that private fish ponds in the Uintah Basin are visited by more than 5,600 people each year.

Grant Hansen, a district cooperator from Altamont, estimated that more than 300 visitors fished in his 18 stocked ponds last year. "Families from the city camp the entire weekend at my ponds," Hansen said. And District Supervisor De Von McKee from Tridell stated, "It's not uncommon to see three or four campers at a time parked by one of my ponds."

Some pond owners ask only that visitors respect property: ask for permission to fish; do not damage or destroy property; leave it clean; and close the gates. But many consider fish ponds as a source of income. For a small fee, a family can enjoy a nice outing where there's plenty of fish and lots of privacy. Membership in a sports club may be required for fishing in some private ponds. Some private ponds are open the year-round.-MARK M. PETERSEN., district conservationist, Randolph, Utah.

242

Prepared in the Division of Information, Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250

CLIFFORD M. HARDIN, Secretary of Agriculture

KENNETH E. GRANT, Administrator, Soil Conservation Service PHILLIP A. CHAVEZ, Editor

GEORGIE A. KELLER, Production Editor

SOIL CONSERVATION is the official magazine of the Soil Conservation Service, published monthly by direction of the Secretary of Agriculture as administrative information required for proper transaction of the public business. Use of funds for printing this publication approved by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget July 17, 1968 Reprint permission: Contents of this magazine may be reprinted without special permission. Credit is not required but is appreciated. Photos available on request. Commercial names: Mention of commercial enterprises or brand names does not constitute endorsement or imply preference by the Department of Agriculture. Subscription: $2.00 per year, $2.50 foreign. Single copy 25 cents. Discount of 25 percent on orders of 100 or more sent to same address. Order direct from Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.