, 1907-05-14
IN VERY BAD SHAPE.

The Republican has been requested
by a prominent ranchman of the Big
Laramie valley to give n brief outline
of the facts relating to Colorado-W yo-
ming water rights in the Big Laramie
river.
In the first place, it may be stated
rendered holding that prior appropria-
ton regardless of state lines gives
the better right to the use of the wa
ter. DUR own state supreme court has
decided in this way. This being true,
appropriations in Wyoming made pri-
or TO Colorado appropriations from the
II is further understood that all of the
Big Laramie river has been appropriate
ed for many years last past-even pri-
or to the large appropriation made by
the Colorado company in 1894, when
the big diversion was made to Cham
bers' lake and thence to the Poudre
iA' ~ IA ibic ihlo aPliopihpi
ton was made, or shortly afterward,
the Wyoming Legislature appropriated
the sun of 1000 to institute proceed
ings against Colorado, but nothing vas
ever done. Since that time there has
been much talk of other appropria-
tons and at one time n Greeley COM
pany made application to the office of
our state engineer for a permit to car
ry a ditch from the Big Laramie river
through a portion of the state of Wy
oming, n thence back into Colorado,
but 1t is needless to say that the per
nit vas not granted.
A little more than two years ago an
other company, consisting of st. Louis
n Colorado men. was organized for
the purpose of reclaiming a large tract
of land in northern Colorado, and they
turned their attention to the Big Lara
ME for n water supply. Their plan
was more f~ar-reaching and dangerous
to the people of Wyoming than former
Va NaN "iAN NNuAs ~
of making a direct appropriation re-
CARELESS of all former rights, his new
company sought to acquire rights held
by old Colorado settlers along the riv-
er. The ranches of Joseph and James
Smith, the Stuart Brothers, Wallace
Link and one or two others were Sc
cured. Under the old Colorado law
applicants were given court DEGREES
for almost any quantity of water for
which they might apply, and it is
claimed that the ranches in question
had rights aggregating something like
ninety cubic feet per second. AS the
discharge Of that stream during the
month OF August at Woods landing is
only 113 cubic feet per second, it will
be seen that the rights alleged to have
been purchased cover about nine-tenths
Of the flow of the river for the month
stated. OF course, during the month
of August the flow of the river is less
than during any other month, the
month Of May reaching almost 1000
feet per second.
1t is the purpose of the company that
now has the matter in hand to build
a large storage reservoir at Link park.
the lower end of which forms an ex-
c~eptionally fine site for a dam, the
mountains coming very close together
on each side Of the river. From this
reservoir it is the plan to take water
from the upper end through a tunnel
about three miles in length, discharg-
ing the water therefrom into n small
stream and thence into the Poudre.
There is one advantage to the people
of Wyoming, the reservoir will have
to be full before any water can be tax
en- therefrom, but that is mighty little
consolation. 1t is also the purpose OF
the company to run a ditch from Nc.
Intyre creek, one of the largest tribu-
taries of the Big Laramie, across to
a point above the reservoir dam, thus
draining that stream into the Poudre
valley.
The entire plan is one daring in con-
ception and extremely dangerous to
the water-users Of this valley. Under
the Colorado law water rights may be
sold independent of the land and trans
ferred to any portion of the stream,
and the water may be diverted to an.
other watershed. In the latter fact
lies the greatest danger to Wyoming
users. Water taken from the stream
and used in the valley Of the Big Lara
mic finds its way back and may be US
ed again, but water that is diverted
into the valley OF the Poudre is lost to
Wyoming forever.
Strange as it may seem, while this
dangerous condition exists the Wyo.
ming appropriations are themselves en-
gagged in litigation over their own
rights. Their case has been in court
for more than three years and there
does not appear to be any disposition
on the part of anyone to bring it to
trial. 1t just simply lags. The SEN
cih1a thine 70 do &c nro, /. - =.