Imperial press and farmer., 1902-11-22
An Important Step to be Taken-No Mistakes Should be Madeline Best Thought of California Should be Devoted Honestly to this Subject-The
 Legislaure Should Make Haste Slowly.

revising and codifying the laws of this State on the subject of irrigation. There are many good features in this bill. It is prepared by able men and should receive careful consideration. The remainder of the bill will be given next week. Those interested in this subject should preserve last weeks paper, together with this issue and next weeks paper also.
 An act to declare the ownership of and provide for and regulate the diver sion, distribution and use of water Of flowing streams in this State, and the abandonment and forfeiture of such rights, defining and limiting riparian rights. limiting the right to injunction to prevent the beneficial use of water, providing for the acquisition of rights of way for canals, dtches and pipe lines, providing penalties for violations of this act and the unlawful diversion or use of water, establishing State Board of Engineers, abolishing the offices of Commissioner of Public Works, and Auditing Board to the Commissioner of Public Works, and transferring the powers and duties of the Commissioner of Public Works and Auditing Board to the Commissioner of Public Works to said Board of En- gineers, providing the powers and duties of said Board of Engineers, and fixing their compensation, providing for the fixing of rates and compenSa tion for the use of water sold, rented or distributed to the public in this State other than in any city, city and county, or town therein, and the pro- cedu1e therefor, compelling persons, corporations and companies supplying water to keep their plants and systems in repair, and requiring annual reports from them to said Board of Engineers. providing for the appointment and compension of deputies and assistants to said board of engineers, limiting the expenses of such board and it's deputies and assistants, and providing for the payment thereof, requiring such Board of Engineers to ascertain, determine and make record of the flow of streams and make gaugings thereof, and to ascertain and report the quantity of riparian lands on each stream, the amount of water used and needed for the irrigation thereof, and the appro- priations of water upon each of the streams, the amount thereof and when each was made, and to make and file maps and reports showing such rf- parian lands, use of water thereon and such appropriations, and fixing and de- tining the unit of measurement Of water, fixing the rules and rights of priority in the use of water, authOriZ- ing the State to take over and acquire title to water rights and water works, subjecting the appropriation of water to acts of Congress providing for storage of flood waters in certain cases, fixing the place of residence of the Chief En- gineer of said Board of Engineers and of the office of said board, and the times of it's regular meetings, and re- pealing title VIII of the Civil Code of this State, sections 1410 to 1421 in elusive, and the act of the Legislature of this State, approved March 12, 1885, entitled "an act to regulate and con trol the sale. rental and distribution of appropriated water of this State other than in any city, city and county, or town therein, and to secure the rights of way for the conveyance of such water to places of use" and an act of the legislature of this State, ap- proved March 23, 1901, entitled "an act fixing and defining a miners inch of water" and all other laws and parts of laws in conflict with this act.
 The people of the State of California represented in senate and assembly do enact as follows: