The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-05-21
FIGHTING roa WATER.
Colorado and Kansas Irrigation In.
tcrcsts Clash over Arkansas River.
L n...A


tcrcsts Clash over Arkansas RIVER
To the Editor OF The Post.
Washington, May 1s.--After years OF
threatening, the supreme court OF the
United States is to be asked to decide
the case OF Kansas against Colorado in the
matter Of the diversion of the Arkansas
river In the latter state. This river IN
Kansas flows through come thirteen ooun-
ties, forming j valley OF 2,50OOOo acres.
almost as rich as the valley of the Mic.
The claim made is that Colorado has d.
verted SO much of the water OF the river
as to seriously damage Kansas farmers
Commenting upon this litigation between
the TWO States. Mir. H. II. Newell having
charge OF the irrigation suryeyngs OF the
geological survey, made some interesting
remarks. THAT trouble would so5ner or
later ensue" MIR Newell said, between
these two States over water rights, hds
been for long time evident to people IA
miliar with the conditions affecting them
A number OF years ago the geological sur
vey undertook some important. surveys
OF Colorado with a view to determining
the perennial water supply OF It's rivers
and its capacity for water storage lac
rivers heading in Colorado furnish a vast
water supply, and the sites available for
reseryoirlng the food waters of these
streams are very numerous. Our work en-
abled us to locate and survey a large
number of such sites, but there are hun
dreds of others. although right in the
midst of the work of making these sur
veys we we're cut off through lack of APP
preparation.
Very expensive legislation is likely to
result from this attempt of Kansas to
compel Colorado TO stop using water, and
l think when they get through with 1t
they will be just about whore they are to-
day. | can not but think that II this eX-
pense could be devoted TO the continuation
of the work upon which the government
surveyors we're engaged some years ago
a definite knowledge would be obtained as
to the possibilities of supplying boih
States with a water supply on business
basis.
''If the floods of the rivers flowing
through these States we're properly con-
served in storage reservoirs thee would
be enough water to supply all the lands at
present under irrigation, and to vastly
Increase the irrigated area. whereas now
thee is a scant and unreliable supply
even for that land which is said to he
- der irrigation
How would proper distribution OF
water between the two states te effected,
II all the water possible should be stored?
at would necessarily have to be through
some third disintere sted party acting as
agent AMI in whom States would have
confidence. l believe that in general
interstate matter oil this kind the Fede-
raj government is the most logical and
natural party to decide and administer
such n case equitably ard satisfactorily.
There are other cases are there not,
BESIDES the Arkansas river which are like
ly to catse troUhle and litig lti0nH
Dozens. This Is simply ore Of many.
Litigation must necessarily ensus between
Colorado and Nebraska between Colorado
ana Wyoming: in feet until some general
system such as ! have suggested is adopt
cd there will be lawsuits and controver-
sizes between States wherever rlga~
crosses from one State 10 another, which
will involve an aggregate cost of enormous
proportions, while the outcome can not
n any sense be satisfactory, 1t appears
10 me to be very largely the old question
of reonle who should be good neighbors,
lighting over dividing fence and vast
ing lime and money enough to build a
good bull-tiRh, fence instead Of getting
together in the BEGINNING and co-operat-
ing. II The III cation interests in oues-
ton would come together and bend their
efforts towards getting the government
10 complete It's half finished work of re-
servoir surveyirgs in that section, then
the m7tter would be in such condition as
to enable the rlrties In interest to pro-
coed intelligently or definite business
basis" Guy f. Mitchell.