Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-10-19
Valleys Water
Rights Conceded
at tDallas Meeting
Irrigation Has Prior.
ity Over Hydro-El-
ectric Power
BY HARRY l.. SEXTON
Herald Staff Writer

Every interest Of the Lower Rio
Grande Valley and all vested rights
IN connection with irrigation devel-
opment will be fully protected IN
any changes of the present statutes
which may be recommended, was the
assurance given Valley delegates at
the water conference in Dallas Mon
day.
The convention went on record as
favoring in principle the present
laws governing appropriation Of
water for various purposes, the
West Texas and Guadalupe river
representatives indicating that the
only question in controversy being
the respective priority Of irrigation
or power rights.
"A committee Of twelve, represent
ing all interested sections Of the
state. was appointed 70 compile
recommendations setting forth the
policies and principles of the state
IN regard to irrigation and power.
The question involved presented so
many phases that a decision was
finally reached 10 call a second meet
ing of the committee in San Antonio
October 81, at which time recon-
mendations will be formulated and
presented to the various interested
organizations for ratification.
Committee Members
Composing the special committee,
which is 10 meet again in San An
tonic, are A. J. Kemp Of Wichita
Falls, chairman; Ray Leeman, San
Antonio, secretary; Senator "A. j..
Wortz, Seguin; John Middleton,
Greenville; Frank Robertson, San Be
nito; G. l.. McCourtnry, Brownwood;
J. c. Darlington, Cuero; T. II. Har-
bin, Waxahachie; j. Il. Starley,
Pecos; Leonard Tillotson, Sealy; W..
r. Anderson. San Benito: Byron T..
Johnson, Electra; G.. II. Clark. Aus
tin, and Clarence Wharton, Houston.
Several recommendation were pre-
sented and read by the committee,
and each reflected the general opin-
ion that the present statutes are suf-
ficient 10 cover any situation which
may arise in connection with water
rights. The committee decided to
take no action at that time, indicat-
ing that other resolutions would be
received and that from their gem
eral tenor a resolution would be
drafted at the San Antonio meeting
in which the main features Of all
would be incorporated
In the general discussion of the
question of water rights the fact
was repeatedly emphasized that the
present statutes are sufficient TO
meet any contingency that may arise,
with the exception that they are not
sufficiently definite on the question
of priorities. IL was the concensus
that the right Of prior use must re-
ceive first consideration. Priority
is given TO domestic and municipal
use, and industrial use and industrial
mining, but not development OF hy-
dro-electric power, comes next. Ir-
rigation is third, and development OF
hydroelectric power is fourth. The
use Of the streams for pleasure and
recreation In fifth.
Want Power DEVELOPMENT
Although the power interests were
not officially represented. they had
voluntary spokesman in the person
Of Nathan Adams of Dallas, repre-
senting the East Texas Chamber OF
Commerce, who urged that in the in
terest Of the state the power COM
panies be permitted to develop hy-
dro-electric power. He stated that
projects totalling $3s,00O,000 would
be constructed IL the power com
panies were assured sufficient flow
70 Justify the expenditure.
Other speakers pointed out that
the development of power was a nee
essary adjunct 10 the DEVELOPMENT OF
the states industrial interests; that
II would be 10 the interest OF all
Texas farmers to develop cotton
mills which could be operated ec-
onomically, and that development OF
hydro-electric power would mean bet
ter farm prices and the creation OF
additional markets for the principal
products OF Texas farms.
Prior 20 the meeting IL was the
general opinion that some effort
would be made TO secure a recon-
mendation for constitutional
amendment, but the committee dis
cussions indicated that a constitu-
tional amendment would not be nee
essary to effect harmony. Minor
amendments to existing statutes, IL
was generally conceded, would be
ample TO cover the situation.
The Brownwood Project
The Brownwood controversy was
repeatedly injected into the discus
sions and il soon became apparent
that the only matter in controversy
was the relative positions OF irriga-
ton and power in regard TO priority.
West Texans made the suggestion
tina. appropriations for power be
made after a general survey of the
streams had indicated the volume OF
the natural flow and flood waters
that would be Necessarily for irri-
CATION purposes before appropria-
tions for power were made. South
Texas representatives pointed out
that they were not greatly interested
in power appropriations as irriga-
tion interests on the lower reaches
Of a stream would be benefited by
power dams which would equalize the
flow. The use of water for power
does not destroy its use for irriga-