Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1919-02-08
WATER
STORAGE
irrigation District to
be Formed

Considerable progress has lately
been made in the matter of water
storage plant Last Sunday about rs
of the water users OF Smith Valley
met and signed petition asking the
County Commissioners to call an e.
lection to decide the question of form
ing an irrigation district. Later the
same was circulated throughout the
valley.
Last Wednesday afternoon like
meeting was held in Yerington. About
IS farmers were present Mr.. Frank
Simpson told of the success of the
petition in Smith Valley and Mr. J. l.
Wilson explained the principles un-
derlying the formation of an irrigation
district.
Up to last Thursday night there
we're lS3 signers to these petitions.
representing in all some 5000 acres of
land This is more than the number
required to SECURE an election. 100
signers representing $1,000 acres be-
ing necessary for this purpose. How
ever, the petition will be in circulation
until next Monday.
An irrigation district may be defined
as a storage proposition for and by
| the land owners at actual cost.
The three necessary steps for the
| formation of water district are as
| follows:
First: majority OF owners repre-
senting over half OF the acreage on
a petition asking the County Com
missioners to call an election;
Second. the farmers all vote for or
against the district on the day desig-
mated for the election. At the same
time they will elec. the Board of Di-
rectors. The number OF directors will
be determined by the number of divis-
ions in the district. in this case prob-
! aby FIVE, ~ rt<i 9
Third: It shall be the duty OF the
/ directors chosen at the first election
| TO calculate the sum- required TOR the.
storage plant and to ask for a second
election at which time the farmers will
vote upon the bond issue.
The law on irrigation districts lays
down certain rules regulating the vot-
ing. both for the district and for the
bonds. A person voting or even sign
ing the petition must first show that
he owns or more acres of land so
situated that it can be irrigated by
the proposed system In voting for
the bonds each voter shall be entit-
led to a number of votes equal to the
amount of benefits he will receive II
/ the project is completed For exam
pie. ii a man owns 100 acres of land
anG il is calculated he would receive
\ S5 an acre benefit he will control
500 votes. The lands will be classified
BY the directors and benefit valua-
ton placed upon each class. Two
1 tIllEQS vi tiie uuHiDSb VI NotSo ~oSt
will be required to carry the bond is
sue. 1t is scarcely necessary to men,
ton that the number of votes con-
trolled by farmer will be determin-
ed by the acreage he has and the ben
elt valuation per acre and that the
same will control his assessments.
In regard to directors each divis-
ion OF the irrigation district shall
elect one director Also candidate
for a dictatorship must own the quar-
ter part of all of his land in the divis-
ion in which he is a candidate. 1t
shall be the duty of the Board of Di-
rectors to carefully formulate all de-
tails as to storage sites. total costs
pro rata expenses and Dement'S. etc.
and TO submit the same to the farmers
for consideration on or before the
time designated for the vote on the
bond issue.
Probably the most important feat-
ure of an irrigation district as opposed
to other devices for water storage IS
that the established water rights are
protected. They are not given up IN
any way but remain the property OF
the holder.
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