The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-01-15
THE FIELD
The Proposed Irrigation Law.

mas made puDuc the following synopsis
Oh the proposed measure:
Inc primary OBJECT of the proposed
code is to secure the waters OF the
state to those who actually utilize the
same upon the soil, and to prevent
speculation IN water, either by COM
panles or individuals. Beneficial use
shall be the basis, and the measure,
and the unit OF the right to the use
of water.
No man may by mere notices of ap-
preparation posted up from time to
time tie up the waters of stream;
nor can one by purchasing water
right" form a company hold the right
to use water indefinitely without ap-
plying it upon his land as against
others who may desire to pay for, and
need the same to utilize in actual lrii-
cation.
Those who have land that can be
irrigated from any canal system get
water to the full amount that can be
beneficially used upon the soil. The
price to be paid for such water and
the maintenance fee are not left to
the arbitrary decision of the irrigation
company but may be fixed by the state
board of water commissioners, upon
the basis of the actual value OF the
ditch system, and the actual cost of
maintenance, together with fair
profit to the carrying company. In
paying for the water right the pur-
chaser may extend the payment over
a term of years to suit himself, not
to exceed Is years.
The price to be paid is the same
for each acre of land, notwithstand-
ing the fact that some lands require
more water than other lands. 1t is
urged that the same rules that govern
the cost of freight do not apply to
the carriage of water, and that al
though there are some points in favor
of charging for water by the second
foot, still a majority of the commits
sion believe that such a rule would
not be practical. Especially as the
amount of water used varies from year
to year with the different crops raised
and is nearly always more when the
land is first cultivated than it is later
on.
Water once used is made appurte
nant to the land upon which 1T has
been applied. With the provision,
however, CndI IL Ill Lluc, IL dppCdlo
that the water can be used to produce
greater results upon other land, it may
be transferred by permit properly re-
corded to such other land.
Another great object in view when
drawing up the code was to determine
and fix existing water rights in just,
inexpensive and effectual manner, and
to provide for a close supervision and
recording of all future appropriations
of water and to Systematically meas
ure and keep a record of the various
streams used for irrigation. To secure
the highest utilization of the waters
of the state, waste must be prevented.
And the unprotected, or the only par
TALLY perfected water claims upon our
records need to be annulled ormodified
and bona fide appropriations of water
must be defined and measured before
it becomes safe and practicable for
new enterprises to be undertaken.
The federal government itself will
undertake no works of reclamation in
the Yakima valley until this is done.
To quote the words of Engineer T. A..
Noble: "The undertaking of any
works by the federal government in
the Yakima valley depends primarily
upon the passage of such laws as will