The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1922-03-09

State Engineer j. G. Scrusham Speaking at Luncheon
Declares That No Satisfactory Irrigation Develop
ment Can Occur in This Valley In Advance of
the Settling of All Questions of Priority

upon which water has been diverted
for fifty years, while alongside are
other lands more recently irrigated
but given over to the production of
more valuable crops, in which event
the class Of production and not the
length of time Of irrigation will gov
ern in the adjudication.
There is a wide variation, too, in
the length Of the irrigation season
within the Humboldt basin. At
Palisade the maximum is cited at
180 days, while at Elko this is re-
duced to 120 days. This feature
must be considered in water appor-
tionment.
It is emphasized that the findings
shortly to be issued are not final
and water users are admonished not
to rush into legal involvement.
Three years of time is projected as
the period when rights shall be fully
determined. If it should happen
that discrepancies are shown within
this time between actual needs and
the amount of water apportioned
further showings may be made and
revised apportionments obtained. 1t
win happen, according to the state
engineer, that certain classes of
land Of gravelly or a sandy char
acter, will prove to need more water
than has been designated, and in
these instances more water will be
allowed. On the other hand, con-
siderable areas of swamp lands must
have . definement of right. This
class. Of holdings forms a vexatious
problem for adjustment.
!, Throughout the entire course Of
his discussion, Col. Scrugham re-
peatedly spoke of the necessity of
Introducing the rotation system of
irrigation within the Humboldt val
ley, if irrigation practice is to be
fully successful. Only by rotating
and. abandoning the continuous flow
plan can irrigation, waters be ap-
piled in the highest beneficial sense.
It is the opinion in official cir
cles that ninety-nine per cent of
those who have landed interests
along the Humboldt will be satisfied
with the proposals put forward in
the state engineers findings, Col.
Scrugham stated. The other one
per cent will be satisfied when the
official plans are full demonstrated.
Varying from the Humboldt ad-
judication matter, Col. Scrugham
gave it as his belief that whatever
irrigation development occurs along
the Humboldt river must be full
filed through private enterprise.
We cannot hope, he thinks, for gov
ernment aid in any enterprise. Peo-
pie east of the Rocky Mountains are
apathetic when western irrigation il
discussed and the failure Of gov
ernment reclamation plans to ma
ture in the manner conceived by
those who sponsored the great un-
dertaking in 1902 has resulted in a
complete loss of interest among
those whose aid is necessary for the
maintenance of arid land reclama-
ton as a government policy.
The best irrigation project within
the state is probably contained with
in the Paradise Valley basin, thinks
Col. Scrugham. And, too, the most
feasible land settlement scheme is
contained there. But before a SOL
der settlement until can be evolved
from splendid opportunity there ma
tional moneys must become avail
able and the visitor does not cherish
any illusions regarding the altruistic
tendency of the period. Contrari-
wise, he believes that congress is
controlled in all of its activities by
the members of the steering COM
mittees of the two branches Of the
national legislature, and that quite
a period is to intervene before this
form of beneficial legislation can be
expected from federal sources.
However, Col. Scrugham intimated
-hat the subject is one that may
sell constitute a basis for hope and
chat some day the unused water and
virgin land will be brought together
in this county for the benefit Of the
landless man.
The big crowd received the state
officials remarks in a very enthus-
iastic manner.
President Clark, Of the Nevada
state university, was announced ~
the speaker for the next chamber
Of commerce luncheon to be held
Wednesday of next week.