[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 24402-24403]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO THE RIVERSIDE-CORONA RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT 50 YEAR 
                              ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN CALVERT

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 8, 2003

  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an 
organization whose dedication and contributions to the community of 
Riverside County, California are exceptional. The Riverside-Corona 
Resource Conservation District (RCRCD) is celebrating its 50 year 
anniversary on October 25, 2003 and I commend them for the work they 
have done in the field of conservation.
  The Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District facilitates 
natural conservation through education, collaboration, and technical 
assistance. The RCRCD is a small, government agency charged with 
conserving the natural resources of the area. Some of the projects of 
the RCRCD include habitat restoration projects including invasive 
species removal, a severe problem in my district; irrigation water 
management evaluations; and education programs concerning storm water, 
trees and soil.
  In 1953, 126 local farmers owning 6,700 acres, with the help of Soil 
Conservation Service staff, sent a petition to the Riverside County 
Board of Supervisors and requested formation of a ``Soil Conservation 
District''. That year an election was held and five landowners were 
nominated as the first directors. By forming the District, federal 
programs were made available to local farmers.
  In the late 1950's, Colorado River water became available to local 
growers through Western Municipal Water District pipelines. Citrus was 
planted around Woodcrest, Eagle Valley, Gavilan Hills, Temescal Canyon, 
and Riverside-Highlands. The RCRCD gained over 400 cooperators. Farmers 
installed practices to help control erosion, such as cover crops, check 
dams, grassed waterways and to help conserve water, such as sprinkler 
systems.

[[Page 24403]]

The population in the 1950's was about 50,000. Today it is around 
500,000.
  RCRCD continues to work with local communities and farmers to spread 
the use of best practices in conservation and for research purposes, 
such as housing the California Department of Food and Agriculture's 
research project on the Glassy-winged Sharpshooter, a Pierce's Disease 
vector.
  I salute the Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District for the 
work they do in the field of conservation, an area crucial to the 
future of California. Without researching and educating conservation 
methods our state will find it hard to sustain the current rate of 
growth. I commend the 50 years of leadership by RCRCD and thank them 
for continuing this crucial mission.

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