Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1923-02-02

In the early history OF the state the
pioneer settler along q water course
would post a notice Of his claim for
q certain amount OF water, in most
cases far in excess Of any conserva-
tive need and file same in the office
Of the county clerk He would con-
struct IN a crude way q diversion
dam, head works and ditch leading
70 his land He did not realize az
The time that a question Of water
shortage would ever arise 10 disturb
his mental equilibrium or his finan-
ciai success. Other settlers followed
and there came a time during certain
low water periods that the flow Of
the stream was found inadequate 70
supply the growing needs
The water user. regardless Of the
date Of his posted and fled notice If
ne was so favored as TO be al the
head Of the stream. proceeded 10 di-
vert such an amount Of water as he
needed The next user below did
the same and settlers further down
stream found themselves without wa
ter This condition Of affairs gave
rise to much hard feeling, and in
some cases with violent and even
fatal results
Finally conditions became so serious
that it was found necessary on the
part Of the state TO provide means
for the proper regulation and distri-
button Of the public waters BY statu-
tory provisions q water user or
number OF water users on any stream
within the state could bring an action
in the District court making all other
water users defendants In case Of
this kind the court would finally set
lie the amount OF water each user
was entitled 70 receive as well as the
date of priority OF his right. and
water master would be provided under
a certain provision Of law TO see that
the terms Of the decree were enforced.
As the state continued 10 develop
plans were put into execution 10 con-
serve and use the winter and spring
run-off by storing the water in reser-
voirs and later applying it 10 certain
lands. The we1l-known Federal Carey
Act law was passed and under pro-
visions OF this law there has been
over one-haif million acres Of desert
land reclaimed in the State OF Idaho.
With the development OF Carey Acr
Projects and the construction OF
reservoirs and canal systems. in a
number OF cases the channel OF the
river was used as a conveyor Of the
storage water liberated from the
reservoirs to the diversion points Of
the different canal systems The
storage water mingling with the na-
tural TOW raised number OF com !
plicated problems and resulted IN I
hard feelings between (
the owners Of old river rights and I
the Carey Act companies II was
necessary 70 make a proper division I
between the storage and natural in
terests; losses had TO be taken into
account and apportioned: river opera
ton cost must be properly segregated.
rating stations had 20 be
Installed. better measuring devices
for the old river rights had 10 be
eonst~uctea; I'm short. there had 10
be a much Ereater refinement fl
stream operation than had previously
existed.
To further compiicats maftsrs. in
Instances part q the ola river rishts
we're purchasei hy the Carey Act
,omparies and either stored in their
reservoirs or diverted dirsctiy lnto
'arai systems.
Tns paper Viu tosl szci0siveiy f
siih ihe hyaromeirc and d.sirparior /
Problems sn ths wood nfer Vatsf
.hsi
The Woof rFers hrsa iD ihf Saw
aafh mnsa ~ mountains ana fQN +
n mgthfaF treenon smnp'nF
ro srat1 nfH ~ p Fa.Hi arpnf-
.aie'f nge mies .Nln f ihs ionn
HNt fNN. Heai Hf.f mrrH
Hn f. nei Tfa w affH f
.al HIf $3.50 n N'H tH
HN .lHaaf WF0u a HF H
W M IH lN ~