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* ^ GOVERNOR: ^ (Con't) KOESTER: GOVERNOR: KOESTER: GOVERNOR: when groups of neighbors banded together to build our first dams and Irrigation ditches. It is what it is today because neighbors were willing to cooperate with neighbors, communities to- cooperate with communities, and the state government to cooperate with other state governments and the Federal government. What has all tdals m&ant in terms of physical achievement? How many dams w© in the state? Well, at the time the re are 720 public and private dams in California under either state or Federal super­vision, The capacity of these dams is better than 13 million acre feet, which means that behind these dams is water sufficient to cover all of Los Angeles County five feet deep. But t'h-at'f Only part of the development. Interlacing our gr®at agricultural areas, and linking our reservoirs and rivers with cities as well as farms, are more than 50,000 miles of irrigation canals and conduits. And we are still building more dams and digging more ditches. What is going on in the state right now in connection with water conservation, Governor? I know I w o n ’t have time to fully answer that question on this program. For example, one of the initial phases of water conservation is the protection of forests and range land.' We have been steadily increasing our activities in this field and in soil conservation during recent years. Furthermore, in California we can't produce additional water supplies unless we harness flood waters. But there - is obviously another reason for harnessing flood waters and that is to prevent damage to range lands and farm lands. A third phase, of course, is the conservation of water for use in generating hydroelectric power. Right now in California there are thirteen private and municipal dams under construction, In addition there are five dams, -5-