Steve Watkins: “I stand before you today in full support of H.R. 728, the Small Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments of 1999. Most…”

“I stand before you today in full support of H.R. 728, the Small Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments of 1999. Most importantly, I want to stress to my colleagues why this piece of legislation is vital to so many rural areas of the United States. Since the 1940's, over 100,000 small watershed dams have been built under USDA programs. Small watershed dams provide great benefit to their surrounding areas. These dams provide downstream flood protection, water quality improvement, irrigation water, and rural water supplies. In flood control alone, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the USDA estimate the small watershed dams prevent more than $800 million in damages each year. People can also enjoy increased recreation and wildlife habitat. The bad news is that many have reached or are rapidly approaching their fifty year life span. Numerous structures are in need of rehabilitation to ensure the continued environmental and economic benefits that our country currently enjoys. Action must be taken to prevent the loss of life, water supply, and flood control that these dams afford to many rural areas. Currently, no funding source exists to restore watershed projects, and local sponsors do not have the resources to attempt to save these dams. H.R. 728 establishes financial assistance for the assessment and rehabilitation of small watershed dams over the next ten years.”