The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-12-19
URGES CHANGES IN
IRRIGATION LAWS
State Engineer Tanner Says
Ulah'S System Hardly Fits
Present Conditions.

/ Revision OF Utah s irrigation laws so
as TO create board OF control for the
I adjudication OF all issues arising over
water rights. the decisions Of The board
10 be subject TO appeal TO The courts,
/ Is strongly recommended bv the state
engineer. Caleb Tanner, in his biennial
! report to Governor Spry, filed ycster.
dac afternoon.
Utah : irrigation laws and system
of adjudication have progressed TO a
crucial point. says the engineer, where
tncy must either be put TO the test
or else abandoned entirely in favor of
a new system. The present system, he
declares. is unique in that /, has no
parallel in the other states. Its eff.
cacy and its adaptibility TO the future
needs OF the state arc doubted by the
engineer. The present system needs
either comprehensive amendment in the
way OF legislation or else the district
courts need 10 be given more latituuc
in their Indications.
Mr.. Tanner also recommends a closer
cooperation between the state aud tho
United States Geological SURVEY. BY
federal aid the state has much 10 cain
In the way Of increasing its knowledge
and Information concerning water
supply within its borders. He suggests
a liberal appropriation for this CO.
operative work, reminding the legisla-
ture that the federal appropriation
or work within the state depends
entirely upon the state appropriation
itself
The Duchesnc river basin in eastern
Utah Is the field TO which the state
should turn the major portion of it's
eitqrts during the next two years. saws
the report The water of that region
needs regulation and storage in order
10 reduce the losses that annually occur
by reason of a flow below normal. |
storage or the water so AS to keep the !
low normal when most needed is essen !
tial 10 the development Of that region, |
1t is declared.
The economic advantage of con.
Timing tho Pluto reservoir project 10 |
ITS manmum capacity so rs to reclaim |
all the land that lies within reach of |
The available water. is pointed out by |
he engineer and the governor is asked |
10 commend this project TO the lcgisIa.
.urc for further appropriation. Many
thousands OF acres of land can yet be
reclaimed under this project by con-
lnuing the work 10 It's ultimate con
,luson.
The state engineer also suggests that
.he legislature pat all its state road
and bridge appropria-
ions under The authority Of the state
Dad commission, pointing out that more
Effective results and moro economical
can be accomplished
trough the single control
The greater part of the report is
,iveu over to discussion of the adjudi
alton system in Utah with comparisons
With those adopted in other states. as
N argument in favor Of the engineer s
uggcstcd revisions.
During the two years covered bv the
eport the office Of tho engineer record.
d 1888 applications for water rights.
'hc revenue from the applications was
% 900 and tho expenses of the office,
xclusivc Of salaries was $20,069. |,
In tho two years Just ending the
tate engineer has completed hydro
raphic surveys Of Logan, Virgin and
IAN Raphael river systems and has
omplcted n portion of the Sewer river
ystcm. With this information thus !
ccumulated the irrigation problems
ffccting hundreds of thousands Of {
crcs have been simplifIcd.