Arizona republican., 1910-02-16
RESERVOIR WATER
 FOR FLOOD LANDS LIMITATION OF ALL INDIVIDUAL
 RIGHTS IS ,eo ACRES. The Flat Rate for Water After This Year Win Be s1.eo Per Acre. in-
 eIudins Reservoir Service.

Now that the reclamation service is delivering stored water. or is ready to when 1t is needed by the lands under the Salt river project, which are enti- tied to 1t Is quite timely that a word be said in explanation of it's plan. This is particularly desirable for the bene- fit of non- resident land owners who may be possessed of more than 160 acres and who it is quite likely do not closely follow the details of the wa ter question here. After the publica- ton of the decision of Judge Kent in the Hurley Abbott water suit. the de- tails of the entire plan and the effect of the decision will no doubt be com prehensively set forth, but the follow ing facts are now mentioned as they are in sense fundamental, cannot conflict with the decision and are inn portant at the present moment to few people who may not fully under stand the situation and who wish to avail themselves of stored water dur ing the present season and might oth- erwise sleep upon their rights.
 The first announcement is that no single land owner can have the use of stored water for more than 160 acres Everybody understands that that is provision Of the reclamation law. but some may have an idea that the rule would not be enforced until after the project is declared open. If there are any such they are mistaken. The service now has stored water in the reservoir constructed under the law
 rstg .Ar,e .af lands is delayed. it would he just as much violation of the law to fur
 nsh water to a greater acreage now 5s it would be to furnish it to a great CT acreage after the opening.
 The one special benefit the land owner has prior to the opening is that until the opening the rule requiring him to live on or near his land is not enforced This gives the small land owner little more time in which to shape his affairs and also gives the large land owner a little more time than was originally intended in which
 to dispose of his surplus holdings. though he cannot in the meantime farm large tracts with reservoir wa
 ter However, if he sells any acreage
 to another person not already holding his full 160-acre rights in the reservoir, that buyer is immediately entitled to
 water for his newly acquired land. up
 to the limit of 1sO acres. The essence
 of it is that water is to be furnished to settlers, not speculators.
 ! It will of course he understood by the
 reader that this discussion all applies
 to members of the Salt River Valley
 Water Users association, for unless ! ones acreage is signed to that asso- l citation, he cannot in any event parti- | cipate in the use of stored water. The reclamation service will be gov erned in it's distribution of the natural flow of the river (not stored water) by ! the forthcoming decree of Judge Kent. In the meantime those who have older
 lands in continuous cultivation. and who have for years cultivated their lands
 with the water of the regular or normal | flow of the river. have this year as 1 usual paid s1 per acre for the said regular flow for winter water. carry | ing them until May 15. There is noth- | ing for them to do or to worry about
 in this announcement, as they are pro- vided for.
 But there is another acreage. also i signed to the Water Users association.
 which will ultimately be on the same
 basis as the lands now getting regular
 water after the project Is opened. pro-
 vided that they are designated by the
 secretary of the interior. that are now | known as flood water lands" These lands the reclamation service has agreed to deliver flood water to when any is available. at 50 cents per acre. and those cultivating such lands have
 paid their 90 cents for the present sea-
 son. just as those getting regular wa ter have paid their S1 per acre. These
 flood water lands will be furnished
 with reservoir water when there is any
 provided they are placed on the same basis as the regular water lands. by l paving the other 50 cents per acre. Those who elect to take chapce on
 there being sufficient flood water to make their crops. as they have done in other years, need pay no attention to this. but those who desire to be sure of their water supply and share in the stored water if they need 1t, should promptly pay the extra 90 cents per acre referred to- giving themselves full
 reservoir rights. or as full as their rights can be until after the secretary of the interior designates the lands to be vatered. and declares the reser- voir project formally opened.
 The 50 cents per acre referred to | merely gives the flood water lands share in the reservoir from now until
 the end of the winter season. May Is.
 Thereafter. beginning with the sum- mer season the water will be sold for sI.60 per acre per year, which will in clude reservoir participation as well as normal flow.