The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1900-05-25
FIGHTING FOR WATER.
Colorado and Kansas Irrigation Inter
ests Clash.

After years of threatening, the Su-
/ preme Court of the United States is to
be asked to decide the case of Kansas
against Colorodo in the matter of the
diversions of the Arkansas River i'm
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 50 much of the water of the
river as to seriously damage Kansas
/ farmers.
Commenting upon this litigation be-
tween the two states, Mr. F. II. Newell,
having charge of the irrigation survey
ings of the Geological Survey, made
some interesting remarks. 'That
trouble would sooner or later ensue,n
Mr.. Newell said, "between these two
states over water rights, has been for
long time evident to people familiar
with the conditions affecting them A
number of years ago the Geological
Survey undertook some important
surveys of Colorado with a view to de-
termining the perennial water supply
of its rivers and its capacity for water
storage. The rivers heading in Colo
RADIO furnish vast water supply and
the sites available for reservoiring the
flood waters of these streams are very
numerous. Our work enabled Us to
locate and survey a large number OF
such sites, but there are hundreds Of
others, although right in the midst of
the work of making these surveys, we
were cut off through lack of appropri-
alton.
VERY expensive litigation is likely
to result from this attempt of Kansas
to compel Colorado to stop using water
and | 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, a definite
knowledge would be obtained as to the
possibilities of supplying both States
with water supply on a business
basis.
IF the floods of the rivers flowing
ing through these States were 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 scant and
unreliable supply even for that land
which is said to be under irrigation" "
"How would a proper distribution of
water between the two States be eff
fected, if all the water possible should
be stored?'
1T would necessarily have to be
through some third disinterested party
acting as agent, and in whom both
States would have confidence. | be-
lieve that in general Interstate mat
ter of this kind the federal government
is the most logical and natural party
to decide and administer such case
equitably and satisfactorily"
"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
ensue between Colorado and Nebraska,
between Colorado and Wyoming, in
fact until some general system such as
l 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
III any sense be satisfactory. 1t APP
pears to me to be very largely the old
question of people who should be good
neighbors, fighting over dividing
fence and wasting time and money
enough to build a 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 res
ervoir suryeyings in that section, then
the matter would be in such condition
as 10 enable the parties in interest to
proceed intelligently on definite
business bass.n GUY e. MITCHELL
"Oppotaajtg is the cream of time"
Now is your opportunity to take