Gilpin observer., 1904-12-01
TIE FARM END RANGE
Irrigation Management.

State Engineer Carpenter delivered
an exhaustive address before the re-
cent meeting of division engineers at
the state house in Denver. The adj
dress reviewed the work of the past
year with regard to irrigation and en-
gineering interests, particularly the
former. and showed close acquaintance
with the problems involved.
The division engineers are CON-
PEELED by law to meet annually to talk
over with the state engineer all mat
ters connected with the distribution of
water. Professor Carpenter summed
up the duties of his Office as follows:
Administering over the distribution OF
water, enforcing irrigation laws other
than those relative to priorities, direct
ing and supervising internal improve
ments, exercising police power regard
ing safety of dams, inspecting plans
for constructing dams, taking records
of streams, accepting and filing claims
to water and hearing appeals from wa
ter commissioners and division engi-
neers.
The distribution Of water was spo-
ken Of as perhaps the most important
duty pertaining to the office. The irri-
cation law of 1903 is spoken of as be-
and having tendency to harmonize
conditions throughout the state.
Among the favorable features of the
law were mentioned the fact that the
commissioners are now more definitely
responsible to the division engineers,
that it recognizes division engineers as
state officers, and other reasons of a
similar nature. At present, 1t is
pointed out, the terms of the engineers
close in the middle of the summer sea-
son, and it is suggested that the time
for changing officers is awkward. A
general discussion then followed the
laws governing distribution of water.
In regard to the work of men acting
as officials in the distribution, Profess
sor Carpenter said:
Il have for many years believed that
the greatest improvement in the wa
ter management could be through the
personnel of the management, in plan
ing them under such conditions that
the best service could be rendered by
the various officers. The experience Of
the past year in the state engineers
office has given me abundant reason
for advancing that belief and convic-
tion. 1t has been the good fortune or
the state that the officers have as q
whole been so well qualified and haYe
been men of such good judgment that
mistakes have been relatively few.
THE conditions, however, under
which these men labor, have, of course,
been such as to hamper them very
greatly. 1t is to the good fortune OF
the state that results have been SO sat
isfactory as they are. The reason that
civilization progresses is because there
is continuity in its experience that
generations overlap and one builds on
the experience acquired by it's prede-
cessor
with water officers Of the state
/ there has been the unfortunate custom
| in the past for an entire change to
4 take place at the beginning of each
administration. Each officer has found
that, no matter how well qualified he
is, his first year is largely one of gain
ing knowledge of the conditions. anc
that his second year has been one IN
which he could give the best service
He took occasion to urge that the ap
appointment of water commissioners
and division engineers be removed en-
tirely from politics, for the reason that
good men are difficult to procure
Lengthening the terms of Office also
was stated to be a change worthy oil
adoption.
The balance of the address, which
was very extended, took up various
matters OF interstate Importance, in
cluding the Kansas Colorado water
rights suit. Water DEGREES and theii
validity was also taken up at length.