Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1924-02-22
|VER COOPERATION
Roth Decreed Right Users and
Carey Act People Benefited
SHORT WATER YEARS PROVE
Vys&Hr6saafsr Chapman Tells How Co.
ep6ro4ion of Dscreed Rights and
Carry Act Water Benefit by
Cooperation

In the course of the administration
of the waters Of the streams in Dis
tricts z and IL during the past seasjn
a duestioa> was raised as to the meth
DDS employed in the distribution OF
certain decreed and storage waters,
1t being maintained that there was a
possibility that the storage co. was
being diDcriminated against. This
feeling had it's Origin at time when
the natural flow of Big Wood had de-
minished to point where the supply
was insufficient to furnish all the
decreed priority rights, and was held
by certain individuals with storage
interests that water was being de-
livered to the decreed priority users
which they were not entitled to re-
ceive.
On its face this contention was SEEM
fngly borne out by the facts. However,
a careful study and thorough analysis
of all the Elements involved proves be-
yond the shadow of doubt that all
parties Interested were materially ben
Gifted by the practice followed and the
methods used. At the outset Of the
irrigation season it appeared that
there might possibly be shortage
of water The Magic Reservoir lacked
about $4,000 acre feet of being full
and the prospects for a large run-off
was not altogether encouraging, con-
sequently the watermaster was par
ticulaxly desirous of making every foot
of water go as far as possible. With
this aim in view the deliveries to
the decreed priority users were held
down to the very minimum, and the
water thus save accrued to the stor-
age interests. The figures for the
month OF May show that only 7,249
acre feet was delivered to decreed
priority users, while they were actually
entitled to receive 1877 acre feet
1t may be argued that the decreed
priority users were entitled to only
the water that they could put to bene-
ficial use, which is conceded, but one
familiar with the general methods
used In the application of irrigation
water to land will readily see that the
two extreams, namely, the point of
greatest Beneficial use and what could
be safely considered by the water
master as an actual waste are very
widely separated.
the watermaster to obtain, as near
as possible, the maximum beneficial |
use Of water, must incorporate de-
sire and a systematic endeavor on the
part Of the decEeed priority water |
users to bring about the maximum |
sfficency, with a minimum use, or
allure will result.
The desire to save water on the
,art Of the water users can only be
,btained by a realization that they
lro going to receive some direct and
angibae benefit. Again, it must be
hown the storage interests that they
re to be materially benefited by
oopsrative plan.
When the gates at Magic Dam were
Ioeed and the entire flow Of the
tream cut off in the month of June,
Hare was considerable dissatisfaction
xproosed on the part Of the users
Z 1oGreed water Their contention {
etnGs that II they relinquished their
p46e ~ this time il was gone for eve<,
] fbGy could see no way OF receiving
~ honeft from this action later on
tbs season when their rights were ?
kDeustsd. Being IN this frame ~ i
~ " remained for the wetermastor
nelaf our that oply by q spirit of
l1o1v zion and mutual confidence ln q
y Nptermastor could the greator n
H receive the greater Denentg A.
~ ~ere aiso assured thpt thoy a
qA1lo ioee nothing by thle plan of
'4eeGR ye action apd Yere thus pge '
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