The Glenwood post., 1906-12-08
THEY DRINK and
talk WATER
Irrigation Division Engineers Net
Last Week in DeRver---WdyS
Of Improving the Service
Are Discussed
MEETING PRONOUNCED A SUCCESS


engineer. his deputies and the five
irrigation division engineers was
held last Friday and Saturday in the
state engineer Office in Denver The
meeting was pleasant and all those in
terested believe it will result in profit
to the water users throughout the
state.
Each of the engineers submitted a
report of the work in his division and
these reports Prove that while there is
a great difference in conditions in the
various sections of the state there is
great similarity in the difficulties
encountered, and the engineers were
pretty well agreed as to the changes
necessary to secure better results.
There is general feeling that the
division engineers should have closer
and more definite supervision over the
water commissi ioners as it is thought
if the two officials cooperate to great
er extent much greater efficiency can
be secured and the farming public
greatly benefited thereby. This plan
of bringing the water commissioners
and division engineers in closer touch
with each other would involve more
positive knowledge by the division
engineers as to the work done by the
water commissioners each day which
knowledge would be obtained by more
frequent visitations on the part of the
division engineer and the requirement
of more careful reports on the part of
the water commissioner as to his ser
vice.
In this connection it has been sug
gested that the division engineers
should audit the bills of the water
commissioners. This suggestion is
really in the interest of the water
commissioners some of whom in every
division have at different times had
trouble in collecting their pay from
the county commissioner who rarely
hesitate to pay bill which is ap
proved by the division engineer. As
a lule, however, this approval cannot
be secured as the division engineer
now has not the ability to keep fully
informed on the work being done by
his commissioners.
Many changes in the present laws
were suggested and it is probable that
a bill will be submitted to the coming
Legislature embodying such changes in
the present laws as the state engineer
and division engineers may consider
advisable.
A plan which has been given con
siderable thought is that of having
water commissioners appointed direct
by the governor without compulsory
recommendation by the county com
missi oners as at present, all water
commissioners to be paid from state
funds and Nh Dickson, the engineer
from this division has twice in his
annual report recommended such
change. There is no doubt but it
would bring better men to the service
since it would practically remove any
doubt as to the payment of their sal
aries, but the people woul be the
gamers by reason of better system and
more harmonious action. But it
seems that this plan is impracticable
under the states present financial CON
dition as the increased expenditure
would be such as to necessitate an
increased state levy and this is i'm
possible without a constitutional
amendment authorizing the same.
The crop reports presented from the
various divisions indicated year of
marvellous prosperity and in some in
stances the increase in crop production
over previous years. was almost in
credible.