The Sun. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1915-1932, 1919-03-28

More Of Lands Each Year Made
Possible Under Recent Legislative
State Department Is Given
Much Broader Jurisdiction.
Many thousands of acres at land
viii hc irrigated eventually each wear
with ih, water saved hy the operation
OF the water rights law which became
effective with the passage of Senate
1911 No. ll3. by the house ou March
18th. according to George Z. Ne
Gunaglc, state engineer. The measure
was drawn up bv the water rights
commission appointed by the legisln-
ture last year, and, after considerable
revision. introduced 10y the Joint com
mlitcc ON agriculture. The benefits
to be- derived from the law will In
crease yearly. IN the opinion of Me.
b"nagir. until the maximum results
have been obtained. Eight million
tcrc.ioct of water has been used IN
the irrigation of million acres of
land The same acreage ran be- ira.
gated with three million acre feet of
water after the full application of the
powers given the state engineering
department by the water rights law.
While be has granted requests Tor
water. the state engineer previously
had not the power 10 appoint water
commissioners, which b. gwen him by
the water rights law Deputies were
formerly chosen by the county com.
missiuncrs, being paid hy the irriga-
ton companies. ~ they will be- under
The present law. hut we're not under
the jurisdiction of the state engineer.
ing department Water commission
rrs who have proved efficient will be-
retained. McGonuglc SAYS.
Use Il Now Limited.
The state of Utah b. made u party
ia ull suit, concerning water rights
10y the provision of the law. 30 that
the state engineer may have notice oi
nll water litigation, and any records
that he may have will be- available.
For the first time the law provides
that nu person, unless be- b. citizen
of the United States or has filed his
declaration iu become such. can apprp-
pirate amy of the public waters of
Utah. Although several years ngo u
Law was pnasscd authorizing the state
engineer tu make photographic sur.
vcys of the various rivers of the state
and present his findings to the district
ruuri for the purpose of ndmdirating
and quiciing title to the rights of t,c
various users, me- funds Wcrr nppri-
priutcd for the purpose, and the law
became u dead letter one. II b. eN,
pccted that The revolving fund Of
twenty thousand dollars. which wa,
appropriated Ia the state engineering
department, will remedy this diff.
Guilty, McGonnglc SAYS, and that dis
puics among water users will be- final
" settled, Expenses uf SURVEYS ar,
tn be- charged against those benefit
ing from them through the use oI
waters, and the money collected vii
be- returned 10 the fund of the cngin
ccring department.
] WV ~ NNNAsAsAeNANAf
The costs of determination and adj
Indication nf rights by the court vii
bc ussessrd against the water users IN
.tcrcsicd, and The amount recovered b,
the state paid into The revolving fund
ON streams on which court decree
have been entered prior Ia March 1911
no changes will be made unless proc
is brought by the state engineer, %
Interested water users, that the waite
has not been hcnciicially used. 4 sub
staniinl hendgnie aud q measuring de-
vice must be- maintained by any cor
poruii0n, person or association at ih
point where water h IN be- diverted ~
turned into canals from main stream,
Owners must also install measuring
devices or canals 10 assist The stat
engineer M asrrFiaining the nmoun
oi water IN the ditch, whenever ron
,idcrcd necessary, In the went M
owner Of water refuses to cunstruc
devices, they may be- built by th
state, aud the cost of construction DO
. comes q lien against the water user.
Plans aud specifications for huildin
dams more than ten feet in height
or less than this number, which vii
imp0und more than u hundred acr,
feet of water shall be- submitted 4
the state engineer for approval, an
he has the authority 10 Keep an iu
spector on any dam during its con
struction, the cost of inspection TO h
paid by the owner. Authority also
given the state Ia order constructio
work stopped and Ia prevent iu
pounding Of any water until the la'
regarding the building of dams
complied with