The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1922-12-22

50 "
A meeting at st. Anthony was cal
led last Friday by the North Fork
Water Users association for the pur-
pose of learning just what the Upper
Snake River union of water users
were doing toward the solution of
the problem Of delivery and distri-
button of water on Snake River and
it's tributaries. For this purpose the
directors, secretaries and engineers
Of the union were there, and G. c..
Baldwin, deputy commissioner; w.
G.. Swendson, commissioner Of recla-
nation for Idaho; F. A. Banks, en-
gineer in charge of stored water and
D. G.. Martin, were also there.
President James Heath OF the Up
per Snake river union, was first call
ed on to outline the eason for, and
the work of the union. At this time
it was made clear to the meeting
that altho the Farmers Protective r.
rigation association had accomplish
ed great and lasting good to the
natural water users on the river in
the way of beneficial legislation, re-
lieving the canals of the necessity Of
installing fish screens, and in 1915
they stopped a rs per cent cut on all
water rights which were ordered by
the state engineer. They were not
satisfied with the losses charged the
stored water people nor the return
now allowed the natural water users,
but it seemed that they could not
carry on an investigation to find out
whether or not we were getting what
we we're entitled to unless the presi-
dent and secretary would be RESPONSE
BILE for the expense, which was asking
too much.
Mr.. Heath then read a paragraph
from Commissioner Swendson's an
swer to the unions request for pro-
per losses on storage water and said
It would be just as consistent for the
commissioners to say owing to the
humble attitude of the natural water
users, the precedent Of 2h per cent
loss on storage water between Moran
and Heise had been established and
would stand" We are not finding
fault with those in charge but as
their losses show less, ours grow
greater and we see we have made a
bad bargain.
Engineer Cotton was then called
on, who told how the people who
organized the union had experienced
having their canals cut off dry when
the stored water was put into the
river and that those in charge had
explained to those thus deprived Of
water, that the r~eturn-flow to the riv-
er had been sufficient to furnish
water was introduced it raised the
level of the water in the river suffi-
cient to hold back this return-fow
hence they were cut off. Now who
was responsible for this return-flOw
being held back until after irrigation
season? Cotton further told the
meeting that the results of the union
for 1922 were briefly as follows:
The canals north of American Falls
were not cut to their record rights
as early this year as other years
there being only Is, 900 second fee
at Heises this veal when our canal'
were cut to record rights. The de
crees We're not cut so deep this zeal
as they were last year, for instalc,
on July 31st of this year there was
345 second feet less water in the riv
er than the same date last ear ant
still there we're several larger de
crees which were not cut off thi'
year that were cut off last year.
The natural water users receive,
44,270 acre feet more return-f1OW Thu
year than they were given last yea,
and the two years were very similar
Now it may be that the union was 70
altogether responsible for those benc
fits which were of material value t,
the natural water users. but it wa,
a happier situation at least.
Secretary Manwaring of the uniol
then spoke on how we have uncor
~sciously allowed the interlopers il
the stream to creep up on us a it'll
more each year and nOw we mus
come out with a united effort an
requesting that the system be chang
ed so that the natural water user
may get the water they should get
Surely that is fair cough. if we don
take care OF our own stock, no ON
else will take care of them for us
water. We don't want to say any
thing d~isrespectful of the men i