Arizona republican., 1918-03-19
PRICES IF FLOOD
 WATER COMES UP AT SET MEETING


 In the absence of President John Orme, who is in Washington, D. C., Edward Pattee was elected chairman and acting president at the mid monthly meeting of the board of gov ernors of the Water Users association. held yesterday morning.
 Among the first questions to come before the board was the price of flood water. It was decided to continue the same practice as that of the reclama- tion service, that is to charge at one half rate. By flood water is meant when the flow of the river at Granite Reef is more than 60,000 miners inches.
 In the purchase of the third and sue ceeding acre feet of water it was de- cided to try for this season the plan- ming of permitting the water users to pay for such amount as in their judg- ment they believe they will need
 Action was also taken in regard to waste water and the rule was estab- lished that if waste water runs to the damage of neighboring lands or public roads, the guilty water user will be notified that no more water will be run until he prepares and adequate waste ditch.
 An important question to be voted on at the coming election of the Water Users association is that of building the Verde reservoir Although the sub- feet has been discussed for a number of years there is yet a misunderstood ing about 1t.
 The building of the Horseshoe dam on the Verde has always been consid- cred as a part of the Salt River pro- jecr and up to a year ago there were efforts to have the government include it under the terms of the reclamation act. It was proposed then to have the opening of the main part of the pro- ject postponed for a period long enough to have the new storage dam built, and in the meantime devote to that purpose the amount of install ments which would otherwise become due to the government. However Sec retary Lane decided differently and the project was opened, later to be taken over by the association for it's opera tion and maintenance
 Now the proposal to be voted on is that the lands within the project. that is those to which the secretary of the interior has allotted permanent water rights, agree to assess themselves a total of five dollars an acre, d dollar a year for five years, to which is to be added at least like total amount by | the 23,000 acres of so-called dry lands ! and about 5000 acres of Indian lands together, or a total of approximately 30 1000. This would make the total acreage in the project 215,O0O acres In the event of the plan being carried out the 30,000 acres, already within the | boundaries of the project, would be added to the contributing acreage and would pay their share proportionately of the total cost of the whole project including the Horseshoe dam. As Il is these lands pay nothing toward the present cost but those in cultivation pay for their water service.
 Figures of rainfall and run-off show that in nearly every year the Verde reservoir would be filled at least once to it's capacity of 100000 acre feet, ane | in many years it could be emptied ane refilled sometimes as many as three times while the reservoir on the Sal need not be drawn upon. The objec would be to make use of the Verde floods by stretching them over periot of weeks instead of having them TUT | to waste in few days as at present l year.
 | As an independent supply. the Verde | floods would not safely supply as mucf as 15,000 acres. as it is only by com bining their use with the storage on thu Salt that the maximum benefit could be obtained. Besides there would come in the conflicting question O
 which was normal flow and whicf flood unless the whole flow of thu river was in the control and use O one system of irrigation. Also, for thu
 smaller acreage the cost would b' prohibitive.
 As the question is submitted at { general election, when there is con test on for the presidency of the asso citation, it is hoped there will be a full expression on the subject of building the Verde reservoir as a part of thu | Salt River project and for it's benefit.