History of watershed management in the US Forest Service: 1897-2005

Abstract

Legal statutes and scientific research have been essential to the Forest Service mission for the past 100 years. Congressional direction for administration of the forest reserves, now called national forests, began in 1897 With passage of the Organic Administration Act. One of the defined purposes for which federal forest lands were set aside from settlement was "securing favorable conditions of water flow." Since then, more than 25 other federal statutes have further defined watershed management on these lands. The Research branch began watershed experiments in 1910 and did most of the watershed work by the Forest Service until the 1970s. Contributions of key individuals, the Civilian Conservation Corps, the barometer watershed program of the 1960s, and other programs in the National Forest System and the State and Private Forestry branches are examined.