Government involvement as well as involvement from other planning agency
in preventing the effects of soil erosion is not only important, but
essential. In 1935 the Soil Conservation Service was established. It
administers a broad program of assistance in soil and water conservation on
the land in cooperation with Conservation Districts. SCS
is now know as the Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS) and no longer designs irrigation or drainage systems.
This service provides
these kinds of assistance at the request of farmers, ranchers, and other
landowners:
- Determining soil suitability guidelines based on the soil
surveys for agriculture, housing, recreation, waste
disposal, and road construction.
- Recommending Best Management Practices for erosion control
and water protection.
- Designing sediment interception systems.
- Designing water facilities such as farm ponds.
- Planning recreational facilities.
- Designing terrace, irrigation, and drainage systems.
- Developing cropping systems to reduce erosion.
- Recommending pasture plantings.
- Developing range management guidelines.
- Promoting wildlife and woodland conservation.
- Supplying adapted planting materials for conservation
planting.
- Promoting surface mine reclamation guidelines.
- Providing expertise on land use planning.
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