The Legislature recognizes that erosion and sedimentation are serious problems throughout the state. Changes in farm and ranch enterprises, operations, and ownership, demands made upon farm and ranch enterprises which do not encourage sound resource utilization, rapid shifts in land use from agricultural and rural to nonagricultural and urban uses, construction of streets, highways, pipelines, recreation areas, schools and universities, public utilities and facilities, conversion of grasslands to croplands, and other land-disturbing activities have caused excessive wind erosion and water runoff and accelerated the process of soil erosion and sediment deposition. This has resulted in the pollution of the waters of the state and damage to domestic, agricultural, industrial, recreational, fish and wildlife, and other resources. It is declared to be the policy of the state to strengthen and extend the present erosion and sediment control activities and programs of the state for both rural and urban lands, to improve water quality, and to establish and implement, through the Director of Natural Resources and the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission, a statewide, comprehensive, and coordinated erosion and sediment control program to reduce damage from wind erosion and storm water runoff, to retard nonpoint pollution from sediment and related pollutants, and to conserve and protect land, air, and other resources of the state. This program shall be carried out by the natural resources districts in cooperation with the counties, municipalities, and other local governments and political subdivisions of the state and other public and private entities.