Graham guardian., 1915-09-10
MORE WATER NEEDED

The matter of securing more
water for the irrigation of the farm
ing lands of the Gila valley has
opened the eyes of our farmers to the
necessity of getting busy and taking
some action that will result in giving
a permanent water supply.
At recent meeting of the Giia
Valley Water Users and Farmers
Protective Association the question
of a permanent water supply FOR
irrigation purposes was fully dis
cussed and resulted in the adoption
of a resolution to urge the conso''-
dation of all the canals, such con-
solidation to take care of the water
rights of each stockholder in the
different canals and insure sufficient
water at all times and doing away
with the enormous cost of maintain
ing separate dams.
There is no doubt but that seri-
Gus situation has arrived for our
water users, and one that will re-
uuire their active attention from
now on. With plenty of water in
the river at all times, it seems very
strange that not enough water can
be secured for the proper and timely
irrigation of the farming lands OF
the valley. There is something
wrong in the irrigation system OF
this valley when it fails to provide
all the water needed for irrigation
purposes, and it is up to our water
users to get busy and take better
care of their rights.
The plan to consolidate all the
canals into one organization is a
good one and should appeal to every
farmer in the valley, and the best
way to bring this about will be
through the Gia Valley Water Us'r's
and Farmers Protective Association,
which is organized for the special
purpose of taking care of the water
rights of the lands of the GiIa valley
With the construction of the San
Carlos dam and the knowledge that
government agents have been in the
valley at different times during the
past two years gathering data re
garding the water supply from the
Gila river for the irrigation of the
farming lands of the valley, it would
seem that our farmers should be
alive to the situation and the danger
to their priority rights if something
is not done to protect their interests
These agents have not secured
the kind of information from our
farmers that will help very much
when the matter of priority rights
comes up in Washington. In fact
our farmers have held aloof wher
they should have come forward anC
asserted their rights for all the water
needed for their lands. Consequent
ly, reports have gone to Washington
that the farmers of this valley have
all the water needed for their lands
and that they are wasteful of the
supply, when the fact is that every
farmer knows that there is no
enough water coming through the
different canals to meet the demands
for irrigation.
Of course, this could also be settled
in another way and one that ever!
farmer and business man in the val
ley should favor, and that is t
secure now a firm foothold on thu
priority water rights for all lands
cultivated and uncultivated. in tn,
Gila valley, by organized effort t.
secure a dam in the upper Gill
river. This dam is absolutely nee
essary for a sufficient supply o
water at all times and there shoul,
be no hesitation now on the part o
our farmers in doing everything
possible in the way of supporting
plans that will bring forth good re
suits in Washington.