The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-08-18
STATE ENGINEER
ON WATERl DISPUTES
Will Investigate the Utah Lake
Troubles,
sRUNOANCE OF WATER
STATE OFFICIAL FAvoRs IN
CREASED STORAGE.


e+.. Engineer OOremus has 2 task
Tsroa proportions before him in ad-
Using the county commissioners, TO
whom the farmers Of Salt Lake valley
have. complained, Of how best to ale
yfate the distress in future years from
q scarcity Of water supply for irriga-
lion. such as has been experienced this
season at such great loss. He has SUI
uervisi0n of the waters Of the state,
but viii not be able to determine what
his rec1mmendatiOns VIII be in a rem
edlaI way until he has fully investi-
gated the matters that have been Off
cially brought before him. He will
proceed as quickly as possible TO learn
fully what merit there is to the COM
plant OF the salt Lake farmers. thar
upon by late settlers along the streams
which flow into Utah lake.
Engineer DOremUs stated last even
ing that he had read the commuuica-
ti0u to him from the county commits
siOners requesting aim to advise what
can be done IN the Premises. AS TO The
grievance UnaU the rights of the Salt
Lake valley farmers to the waters
flowing into Utah lake have been in
yaded by late settlers. he said there is
probably a question whether the COM
planning irrigatOrs can establish a valid
claim to these waters. for, in his opin-
ion. there was no water open to appro-
priation on Provo river when the fling
was made by the Salt Lake canal in
terests three years ago.
Rights Of Farmers
With reference 10 the suggestion that
as a possible remedy the waters of
Weber river and of Duchesne river he
diverted into the Provo. the complain
ing farmers desiring expert infOrma-
ton as to the feasibility of such a plan,
Engineer DOremus stated that there are
nc physical difficulties in the way CT
bringing at least & portion Of the flow
Of Weber river into the channel Of the
Provo across Kamas prairie, but there
would he other serious difficulties, such
as the right Of the Salt Lake farmers
to take what probably belongs 10 9TH
ers. To make Duchesne river a feeder
TO the Provo river, which is the largest
stream flowing into the Titan lake res
eTN OR. the state engineer Is OF the Opin-
ION that there would be some serious
physical difficulties to overcome, while
there would likely be no question about
The right 10 thus divert the flow.
Speaking Off-hand, Engineer DOre
mus expressed the opinion that the
most desirable means of relief from a
recurrence Of scarcity of water supply
in the future In this valley is in in
creasinS the storage capacity Of Utah
lake by buying the land that would be
flooded by raising the level and draw
ing down the lake level lower than is
now possible when such Is necessary.
It have always advocated the accom-
plishment of this plan. and I regard
IL as entirely practicable and Of grow
ing absolute necessity. Ny idea is not
to merely made the flood waters of one
year supply all that may be needed for
the following season, but to conserve
all Of the lake water year after year
to guard against continued seasons OF
droutH, added the state engineer.
Diverting Weber River.
Speaking further on the subject Of
the salt Lake farmers scouting the
prior right TO ali of the waters flowing
into Gtah LAKE, Engineer Doremus said
he had his doubts of the efficacy Of
this plan, since it looked to him as
though TIE oOlnplainants had let their
rights to the lakes inhowing waters
lapse. The waters of the Weber, the
Provo and the Duchesne are as valu-
able and important to other parts of
the state as are Jae waters OF the JOr-
dan river to this valley. He added that
that there is water enough for all pur-
poses if. it is properly conserved and
distributed. but the chief trouble is
that rights are not adjudicated and the
owners Of the water do not know what
their rights are Engineer DoremUs
said he favored a policy Of enlsrging
the useful and beneficial purposes Of
the states water supply, rather than
a policy Of curtaiiing it.
Engineer DOremus was in Ogden val
ley yesterday attempting to adjust CiE-
ferences over the distribution of water,
and there he found the same lively in
terest in the question of water supply
which is agitating all sections of the
Stste. In his Investigations he has
found the sentiment OF the people to
be emphatically IN favor OF that par.
of the new law which placed the dis
commissioners. acting under the direc-
ton OF the state engineer, taking this
duty from the ditch owners. This fes-
ture Of the law is working satisfac-
t0rily