Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-11-18

comparison or reports submitted /
by the water commissioner. Of the /
state at their annual meeting yes
terday reveals that in the admins /
tration of alter there is a constantly
increasing efficiency of the supply
and that as a result Of scientific farm
ing, application of the water often
being made in the winter, a maxi
mum production is being procured in
many cases from a remarkably small
amount of water. There is a general
tendency among water users, the err
ports state, to prevent any waste,
and the results obtained have been
due to this fact materially aided by
better methods of measuring and
distribution adopted by the commits
sioners.
The members of the board decided
to continue their cooperation with
the officers of the reclamation SER
vice in procuring measurements of
the various streams at the different
seasons of the year for the infor-
nation of appropriations. Already
valuable information is on file, pro-
cured at a nominal cost to the state
Irrigation conditions the past year
have benn exceptionally favorable.
The shortage on the Boise came very
late and the fall rains were easily
enough to afford relief. The condi-
tions were very similar, the commits
sioners stated, in all parts of the
state.
The members of the commission
ers present were: ]. o. Webster Of
Idaho Falls, First district; James Nc
MILAN of Twin Falls, Second district,
and j. H. Lowell of Caldwell, repre-
senting the Third district
Mr.. Lowell stated that in the mat
ter of proof of beneficial use of wa
ter appropriated there has been a
misunderstanding in many cases as
to what showing is necessary before
proof is offered.
In many cases." he stated, this
statute has been COMPOUNDED with the
national desert land act, which re.
quired only one-eighth of the land
to be put under cultivation. In the
acquiring of a water right from the
state, license is only granted by the
state engineer after proof of bene
fetal use SHOWS the application
of water to the entire amount Of
land. Applicants for water rights
should take this fact into considera
ton and ask for a sufficient time
when making application so that thel
may have their entire holdings un
der cultivation at the time of offer
ing proof. License only issues afte
such application of the water ha
been proven.
1.-THE applicant is limited by Law
to five years for the completion o
works. and four years additional TO
beneficial application of water upoi
the land. While this amount of tim
may not be taken for small works
it should be remembered that proc
of beneficial use by application o
water to the entire tract must b
shown. and time enough to insur
such compliance asked by the approx
riator."
Must Install Headgates.
The board adopted a resolutio
providing for the enforcement of tn
provisions of the statutes relating
the placing Of suitable headgates an
measuring devices, and that a
water commissioners instruct waite
masters to notify all water users
put in suitable devices, and in d.
fault to place the same at the e.
pense of the water users. 1t W;
further provided that in all cases
new construction, the trapezoid
weir should be adopted as the stan'
ard measuring device, whenever i
use is practical. and that in no ca
should the measuring weir be to
Grated for use as division DO
Suitable boxes must be placed j.
dependent Of the measuring devil
so as to contol the flow of water in
the ditch.
This policy was adopted III we"
the fact that upon many strear
there has been heretofore very
water. and upon the conviction of Il
board that such control and prop
measurement is absolutely necessa
in order to protect the interests
all water users.
resolution was passed sugge.
ing to the state engineer that whe
a special deputy is appointed for t
supervision of the storing of wat
that such deputy be, if possible, t