Amador ledger., 1900-05-25
ARE FIGHTING FOR WATER
Colorado and Kansas Inter-
ests Clash.
FLOW Of THE ARKANSAS RIVER THE CONTENTION
photographer F. Il. Newell of the
Geological Survey Talks In
terestingly.

After years of threatening, the Su-
preme Court of the United States is TO
be asked to decide the case of Kansas
against Colorado in the matter of the
diversions of the Arkansas river in the
latter State. This river in Kansas
flows through some thirteen counties,
forming valley of $500, 900 acres,
almost as rich as the valley of the Nile.
The claim made is that Colorado has
diverted SO much of the water of the
river as to seriously damage Kansas
| farmers.
Commenting upon this litigation be-
tween the two states, Mr.. F. H. Newell
having charge of the irrigation survey
ings OF the Geological Survey, made
some interesting remarks. ''That
trouble would sooner or later ensue, ="
Mr.. Newell said, "between these two
states over water rights, has been for a
long time evident to people familiar
with the conditions affecting them. A
number of years ago the Geological
Survey undertook some important sur
veys of Colorado with view to deter
mining the perennial water supply of
its rivers and its capacity for water
storage. The rivers heading in Colo
RADIO furnish a vast water supply and
the sites available for reservoiring the
food waters OF these streams are very
numerous. Our work enabled us to
locate and survey large number of
such sites, but there are hundreds of
others, although right in the midst of
the work af making these surveys, we
were cut off through lack of appropri-
alton.
COSTLY LITIGATION
Every expensive litigation is likely
to result from this attempt OF Kansas
to compel Colorado to stop using water
and l think when they get through
with it, they will be just about where
they are to-day. l cannot but think
that If this expense could be devoted
to the continuation OF the work upon
which the government surveyors were
engaged some years ago, definite
knowledge would be obtained as to the
possibilities of supplying both States
with water supply on business basis.
'If the floods of the rivers flowing
through these States we're properly
conserved in storage reservoirs there
would be enough water to supply all
the lands at present under irrigation,
and to vastly increase the irrigated
area, whereas now there is a scant and
unreliable supply even for that land
which is said to be under irrigation.
'How would proper distribution of
water between the two States be effect
cd, il all the water possible should be
stored?"
'Tt would necessarily have to be
through some third disinterested party
acting as agent, and in whom both
States would have confidence. II
believe that in a general Interstate
matter of this kind the federal govern
ment is the most logical and natural
party to decide and administer such
case equitable and satisfactorily.
AGREAT WASTE OF MONEY.
'There are other cases are there not,
besides the Arkansas river which are
likely to cause trouble and litigation?"
dozens. This is simply one of
many. Litigation must necessarily en-
sue between Colorado and Nebraska,
between Colorado and Wyoming; in
fact until some general system such as
have suggested is adopted, there will
be lawsuits and controversies between
States wherever a river crosses from
one State to another, which will in
vOlve an aggregate cost of enormous
proportions, while the outcome cannot
in any case be satisfactory. 1t appears
to me to be very largely the old
question of people who should be good
neighbors, fighting over a dividing
fence and wasting time and money
enough to build good bull-tight fence
instead of getting together in the be-
ginning and cooperating. If the irri-
cation interests in question would come
together and bend their efforts towards
getting the government to complete its
half finished work of reservoir survey
ings in that section, then the matter
would be in such condition as to enable
the parties in interest to proceed intilli-
gently on definite basis"
GUY E. MITCHELL
IRRIGATION APPROPRIATION.
The irrigation appropriation of $3.50,
900 which is asked for the use of the
Geological Survey, would enable that
bureau to vigorously prosecute its
needful work of getting at the facts
concerning the water possibilities of the
arid region, and making surveys to
show definitely where water can be
stored, in what quantities and how
much there will be to store. These are
all subjects of vital interest to arid
America and which Congress owes it to