As used in sections 22a-318 to 22a-322, inclusive, “works of improvement” means any undertaking for: (a) Flood prevention, including structural, nonstructural and land-treatment measures, (b) the conservation, development, utilization and disposal of water, including fish and wildlife or recreational developments, or (c) any multiple purpose or open space use and access thereto for any of the aforementioned uses, in watershed or subwatershed areas not exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand acres and not including any single structure which provides more than five thousand acre-feet of flood water detention capacity, and more than twenty-five thousand acre-feet of total capacity. The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection is authorized to act as a local organization, as that term is defined in Public Law 566, 83rd Congress, as amended, for the purpose of cooperating with the Secretary of Agriculture in planning and carrying out any of the works of improvement authorized by said Public Law 566, as amended.