Washington, D.C.I was raised in Roger Mills County in western Oklahoma, and one of the things that I most clearly recall from growing up there was the sight of flood control dams near my home. I didn't know it at the time, but those dams were built because community and political leaders from throughout the state knew from firsthand experience the importance of flood control. They had witnessed the horrible floods that had washed across Oklahoma's watersheds in the 1930's and 1940's, terrifying events that inspired them to reduce the threats that flooding poses to people, land and water quality.
Their initiative made Oklahoma the nation's pioneer in watershed-based upstream flood control. America's first upstream flood control dam was built at Cloud Creek Site One, near Cordell, Oklahoma. Last July, I had the privilege of celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of that project. Also, Roger Mills county is home to the first watershed project completed in the United States, the Sandstone Creek Project.
Today, Oklahoma has 2,094 small upstream flood control dams, which make up a $1.8 billion infrastructure in our state. These dams protect people and more than 2 million acres of cropland, pasture land, roads, bridges and other structures all located within the 127 watersheds in Oklahoma. They also provide clean drinking water, habitat for wildlife, water for irrigation and livestock and areas for fishing and hunting and other recreation.
However, time and continuing service are taking their toll on our state's watershed projects and our ability to control flood water. Some projects have been on the job for nearly 50 years and need major repairs. The need to take action and restore aging watershed infrastructure does not lie on Oklahoma's shoulders alone. More than half of the nation's small flood control dams have passed their thirtieth birthday, including the nearly 1,400 of them in Oklahoma that have logged more than three decades of service. It is our state, however, that is taking the lead on this issue as it did years ago.
Nationwide, within the next 10 years, more than 1,300 of these dams will reach the end of the life spans for which they were designed. In the next five years alone, more than $400 million of restoration work will be needed.
Although the federal government paid for the construction of the dams, under current laws, it does not have authority or funds to rehabilitate them and repair costs are far too high to be paid by local sponsors.
Keeping our small flood control dams safe and working is vital, not only to Oklahomans, but to all Americans. For this reason, I have introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives H.R. 728, the "Small Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments Act of 1999," and I have already received widespread support in the state from our Conservation District Directors and others and appreciate all they have done to educate us on this serious need. H.R. 728 will provide $60 million per year for 10 years to help us rehabilitate our nation's watershed projects and ensure that we and our communities continue to enjoy the security and benefits that watershed projects offer.
