The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1909-07-08
NEVADA STATE IRRIGATION
Will Be Broad In Its Scope
And of Great
Good.

Few people would imagine that the
administration of single state Office
within the territorial jurisdiction of
one county could save the people in
costs of suits the sum of $500, 900, but
it is fact that owing to the activity
of the State Engineers office in the
last two years the important questions
surrounding the priorities of water
rights on the Truckee river has been
SO far settled that it is safe to say
there will never be any more litigation
on the subject in this county. When
it is realized that in Washoe county
alone, nearly $500. 900 has been expend-
ed in suits of this character, the value
of the work is at once apparent.
This work of the State Engineers
Office, which is devoted to the adjust
ment and regulation of water rights
and irrigation interests, is one of the
most important branches of the public
service, not only in its power for posi-
tive good in the advancement of the
agricultural interests of the state, but
also in conserving and setting out with
accuracy the rights of the people who,
from time to time under different and
poorly arranged methods, have ac-
quired interests that are now of great
value.
1t was for the purpose of handling
these questions that the state engi-
neer's Office was created primarily
about five years ago. A. e. Chandler
was the first officer and he was fol-
lowed by Prof. Henry Thurtell. Both
were good and efficient men but they
labored under many disadvantages,
and it was not until Mr.. Nicholas took
Office that the people came into reali-
zation of the Importance of the work.
This was helped by the fact that the
government irrigation and reclamation
projects required that the priorities of
the residents should be determined
and completely adjusted and recorded
before it would be known just how
much of the water. of the various
streams could be appropriated to the
use of the government for its projects.
To do the work rendered necessary
by this requirement was no small job;
in fact it was one of the most monu-
mental undertakings to be thought of.
Every river and stream from which
water is taken for irrigation had to be
surveyed. mapped, and plated, its
volume of flow estimated and the rights
of all persons owning real estate along
the banks, entitled to irrigation en-
quired into and recorded.
This work has already been prac-
tically completed in the case of the
Carson river and tributaries, the Mud
dy river and the Walker river. 1t in
wolves the searching of the records
in the recorders Office for the titles to
land, the sending out notifications to
all interested, the receipt of proofs of
location and beneficial use of water,
which date back to as far as 1865, the
holding of meetings and the issuance of
certificates, which, when filed and re-
corded, serve to settle all questions of
priority. In other words, if there
should not be enough water in time of
drouth to supply all the people who
have bitches, the one who located the
water right first and used it for irriga-
tion first would be entitled to receive
his pro rata of inches first irrespective
of the fact that no one else got any at
all. Then the next man in his order
would get his share and SO on.
When these certifcations are filed
finally they have all the force and eff
feet of decree of equity and conse-
quently on the completion of the Engi-
neer's work, there will be little possi-
bility of trouble afterwards.
The Engineers assistants are still
out in the field working on the Hum
boldt and the Truckee river systems,
but before long they hope to file maps
and issue certificates settling the quest
Continued on Page 2.)