The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1923-01-11
THE IDAHO REPUBLICAN
History Of Snake River ControI
Plans for Future Storage and Flood Prevention,
Reclamation and Saving
Lawsuits
By w. G. SWENDSEN

Ol all Tie dNdllaDle udld anu IL
equitable to all users. The sugges-
ton in Point No. is met to the ex-
tent that definite percentage of loss
will be charged to stored water be-
tween Woodville and Blackfoot, and
this arrangement should aid in a
fair distribution of both storage and
natural fiow
Balancing of Deliveries
The contention in Point No. is
that a final settlement on the de-
livery and distribution of Snake
river water should be made each
year, parties overdrawing the sup
! ply to which they are entitled to
compensate parties who failed to OBJ
I tain the full supply based upon their
priorities, and showing is made
that the canals above American
Falls were in 1920 deprived of
large quantity of natural water to
which it is claimed they were en-
titled. 1t is not clear from the
argument, however, how the adjust
ment is to be made or what medium
of exchange is to be used in the
compensation. At the end of a sea-
son it is, of course, too late to make
pay Ill WdtCl, uulCSO IlO az
count be carried over to a following
year, in which case injury to crops
would not be satisfactorily met; and
an attempt to make settlement by a
monetary consideration would in
volve a great deal of disagreement
and controversy as to values, and
very likely q re-opening of litigation
as to priorities.
1t is inevitable that errors and
discrepancies will occur in such a i
complex operation as the administra-
ton of Snake river waters, but in
general these inequities are de-
tected and equalized as the season |
progresses. The completed tabula-
ton at the end of the season also
generally indicates slight variations
from a perfect distribution, but
such a result is to be expected in the
administration of stream like
Snake river, with it's extensive
drainage area and it's very compli-
Gated system of water rights. The
enormous volume of water conveyed
and the many variable factors af-
fecting it's sources and disposal, pre-
clude the possibility of absolutely
accurate control, and this situation
must be taken into consideration by
all the interests involved. Fairly
close regulation of diversions and
reasonably acurate distribution is
all that can be expected.
The quantity of water named in
the argument, however, some 3OO,-
600 acre feet, is SO great that it can
not be accounted for by ordinary
unavoidable inaccuracies, and the
claim that upper canals were de-
prived of so much water must be
inspected
1t is seen at once that a large part
If the total of 100000 acre feet has
oeen counted twice. The water that
passed out of the North Fork, esti-
mated to be 106,812 acre feet, of
course, became a part of the supply
If the main river, subject to diver
ion by priority, and should not be
ldded to the total of 1875 acre
eet which it is claimed passed the
3lackfoot station.
The assumption is also made that :
ii the canals demand all their de- !
reed water all the time. This is :
lot the case. When diversion is Z
during the flood period :
n June many canals do not draw /
p to the full limit of their DEGREES
ecause irrigation demand has not !
cached it's peak Some of the ]
annals have not sufficient capacity
D draw the full limit of their de-
rees at any time. Some of the
annals from the South Fork and
ne main river depend to some ex-
emit upon waste water from the
anals above them and consequently
o not divert all the water at the
cad to which they may be entitled.
ven when the canals are cut to
leir DEGREES, there are periods dur :.
lg which the water users do not %
the full supply to which
leir priority entities them. 1t is
ot correct to say that canals were
eprived of their natural flow water =,
1der any of the above circum- q
ances, and analysis of the figures
indicates that practically
l of the total quantity of normal
wv which it is claimed was need
ssly allowed to escape past the nc
)per diversions can be thus &C or
united for. ~.
cannot look with favor upon any -
an of settlement, or adjustment of I'd
regularities, which encourages sif
among water users. The tu
ost satisfactory arrangement, to da
Y mind, is that based on careful wi
of the river, the cor fro
ction of such errors as may occur ole
soon as detected and a wiping loo
ian of the slate at the end of each 80
lsOn. Ne
To be continued o.
-.f--