(a) The condition. — That good soil and usable water are essential to the success of agricultural activities in the State of Mississippi; that our farms, forests and grazing lands are among the basic assets of the state; and that the preservation of these lands and usable waters is necessary to protect and promote the health, safety and prosperity of the people.

That improper land usage causes the breaking of natural cover, and results in serious soil erosion of the farms, forests and grazing lands by uncontrolled waters; that erosion feeds itself, causing an accelerated washing of sloping fields and pastures, speeding up with the removal of absorptive topsoil, causing exposure of less absorptive and less protective but more erodible subsoil; that failure by any landowner or operator to conserve the soil and water and control erosion upon his lands causes a washing of soil from his lands onto other lands and makes the conservation of soil and water and control of erosion on such other lands difficult or impossible; that good soil and water usage is possible only through joint actions of farmers, ranchers and foresters made possible through legislative action.

(b) The consequences. — That the consequences of such soil erosion in the form of soil-washing are the silting and sedimentation of stream channels, reservoirs, dams, ditches, and harbors and the movement of silt into creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes and bayous contributing to the pollution of the surface waters of the state; the piling up of soil on lower slopes, and its deposit over alluvial plains; the reduction in productivity or outright ruin of rich bottom lands by overwash of poor subsoil material, sand, and gravel swept out of the hills; deterioration of soil and its fertility, deterioration of crops grown thereon, and declining acre yields despite development of scientific process for increasing such yields; loss of soil and water which causes destruction of food and cover for wildlife; a washing of soil into streams which silts over spawning beds, and destroys water plants, diminishing the food supply of fish; a diminishing of the underground and surface water reserve, which causes water shortages, intensifies periods of drought and causes crop failures; and increase in the speed and volume of rainfall runoff, causing severe and increasing floods, which bring suffering, disease, and death; impoverishment of families attempting to farm eroding and eroded lands; damage to roads, highways, railways, farm buildings and other property from floods; and losses in navigation, hydro-electric power, municipal water supply, farming and grazing. Other consequences are the loss of surface soil and water because of the denuding of the forests, and the abuse and erosion of sloping lands; the declining mean low flow of the rivers reducing the amount of surface water available seasonally for beneficial use; the decrease in effectiveness and decline of ground water reaching aquifers which provide a source of water for beneficial use; and the increase in rates of runoff from sloping land, adding to flood damage of the flood plains and valleys of the state; all adding to the drainage problem.

(c) The appropriate corrective methods. — That to conserve soil and water resources and control and prevent soil erosion, it is necessary that practices contributing to soil and water wastage and soil erosion be discouraged and discontinued, and appropriate water and soil conserving practices be adopted and carried out; that among the procedures necessary for widespread adoption, are the carrying on of engineering operations such as the construction of terraces, terrace outlets, check dams, dikes, ponds, lakes, ditches, and the like; the utilization of strip cropping, lister furrowing, contour cultivating, and contour furrowing; seeding and planting of waste, sloping, abandoned, or eroded lands to water-conserving and erosion-preventing plants, trees, and grasses; afforestation and reforestation; rotation of crops; soil stabilization with trees, grasses, legumes, and other thick-growing, soil-holding crops, retardation of runoff by increasing absorption of rainfall; and retirement from cultivation of steep, highly erodible areas and areas now badly gullied or otherwise eroded.

(d) Declaration of policy. — It is hereby declared to be the policy of the legislature to provide for the conservation of the water and soil resources of this state, and for the control and prevention of soil erosion, and thereby to preserve natural resources, control floods, prevent impairment of dams and reservoirs, assist in maintaining the navigability of rivers and harbors, preserve wildlife, protect the tax base, protect public lands, and protect and promote the health, safety, prosperity, and general welfare of the people of this state.

It is further declared to be the policy of the legislature to alleviate and prevent flood damage; to conserve the waters of the state through improvement and cover, and through impoundments and effective use for various beneficial purposes; to develop private lands and waters of the state for recreational purposes; to promulgate soil and water conservation practices and measures which beautify the landscape, and promote the economic welfare of communities, counties, and areas of the state; and to provide leadership through soil and water conservation districts to other governmental agencies, departments and private groups in the promotion of the conservation of land, water, and related resources.