The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-09-15

quiry to several canal companies in
Utah, asking for their methods OF dis
tribution and if the result is satisfac-
tory. OF sixty-two replies, forty-nine
were unsatisfactory, five did not know
but made guess, and eight replied
in the affirmative.
| will now describe very briefly
system of stream, canal and lateral
management and method OF distribu-
ton which gives equitable apportion-
ment among the several interests and
which has thus far promoted good feel
ing among all parties concerned. The
water users Of Logan River in Utah,
formed by mutual consent, the Water
Users Organization, an organization
which is not to be COMPOUNDED with
the Water Users Association under
the Reclamation Service. 1t might be
stated here that this organization was
the result of threatened litigation, to-
gether with the gradual development
of the canal companies for system
of measurement rather than of guess
ing. The primary objects of this or
ganizatiOn were to assist the county
water commissioner in dividing tbs
water of the river and for mutual pro-
lection from any subsequent appro-
priation of the waters of this river
which would endanger in any way the
present rights. The directors of this
association are empowered to have
placed in each canal or ditch within
the system suitable headgateS and &C.
curate water measurement devices
The governing board of the associa-
ton, together with the county water
commissioner, exercises police duty
over all water in the stream, as well
as that taken out by the several COM
panies represented in the association.
During the present season reinforced
concrete and wooden weirs have been
placed in each canal or ditch within
many of the smaller ones at a cost OF
from $40 to $1,000, and in several OF
the canals concrete and wooden head
gates have been installed, all with the
idea of permanency. Thus far the
uggestions of the governing board
have been complied with willingly, and
in no case has any hardship or i'll
feeling resulted. These improvements
are for the purpose of distributing the
water of Logan River among the
canal companies.
L he larger Cdudl 1uCOl CoCo, lOoiAAAhS
the great benefit to be derived from
any improvement in methods OF dis
tributing the water among the several
irrigators and especially the impor-
lance of any innovation which will
tend to more conservative use, are
inaugurating system OF apportlon-
ment by weir or current meter meas
urement. 1t will soon be the eXcep-
ton in a great part of this district TO
find water turned upon the land which
has not first been measured when oil
verted from the source OF supply and
again as turned from the canal or lat
eral into the head ditch of the 1nd1-
vidual user.
When the company can, for the pro-
lection of it's own and individual in
terests, limit to beneficial use the
amount of water dealt out to the farm
er, then, and only then, can we expect
the highest duty of water and the
most economical use. We, in the old
err irrigated districts, realize the harm
being done by the appropriately named
water hog or that individual VINO,
because he owns eighty acres or wa
ter, insists that he has the right to
turn it upon 20 acres. However, we
are not yet quite ready to deal with
this subject for the meat inspection
bill, but the sooner this matter re-
ceives the attention of the canal COM
panies the better it will be for the
lower land of all irrigated districts.
The Logan River Water Users Or
ganization is to be commended for the
work it is doing, as long step has
been taken toward an almost perfect
method of water distribution, and they
are developing a means to increase,
with the same amount of water, the
irrigated area from one-third to one