Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-11-07
Protecting Water Rights

A meeting Of the irrigation interests of the Lower
RE Grande Valley will be held next week for the pur-
poss Of deciding upon some definite action toward pro-
tee;ion Of water rights.
That the Valley must take it's case into the courts
has for several years been very evident, and recent
irrigation Developments proposed on the upper reaches.
which would seriously affect the volume of water avail
able for the Lower Rio Grandc Valley. make it evident
there should be no delay and that the Valleys right
should be settled beyond all possible controversy.
The state board Of water engineers is not in posi-
ticn to materially aid the Valley in this fight, accord
ing to the opinion of attorneys, who point out that the
board has jurisdiction over surplus waters only. What
the Valley is interested in is establishing its right 10
the normal flow. Defining Of surplus waters is more
or less a matter Of guesswork, and il Is obvious that at
the present rate of irrigation development, the time IS
not far distant when some Of the later developments
will be compelled BY necessity 70 confuse surplus wa
tiers and normal flow. When that is done, the irriga-
ton interests of the Valley will be seriously menaced.
Negotiation of a treaty with Mexico and construc-
ton Of storage facilities would, Of course. solve the
problem. and that solution eventually will be applied
But the Valley cannot accept the hazard of extensive
additional development along the upper reaches Of the
stream until conservation Of the surplus waters is as
sured. Al best, several years will be required to work
out the Mexican treaty and conservation and division
Of Rio Grandc waters. The Valley must have the as
surancc that such irrigation programs - are now pro-
posed near Eagle Pass and in the Big Bend region will
mot deprive this section of the normal flow.
II is a well established fact that the Rio Grande
during periods Of low flow carries no more water than
i necessary for existing irrigation projects. Those
proiects which propose to use surplus waters and are
making provisions for storage thereof offer no serious
threat to the lower Valley irrigation interests. several
Of the new projects, and especially those along the
MINER reaches of the stream, propose to use surplus
waters. without providing storage, q condition wnieh
will seriously affect he normal flow on the lower
reaches and which the Valley must strive TO prevent
AGAINST the claim of the Valley irrigation interests
a. . right to the normal flow Of the Rio Grande on
The basis Of prior beneficial use, there is only one e.
fec,ive argument-that the Valley irrigation systems
+. uastinp immense quantities of water. While 1t 8
.,us that due to canal secpage and other losses the
efficiency Of most Of the Valley systems is low TINS
.ord;t;on Is being remedied as fast as the districts can
finance canal lining. and development OF pipe systems
The past five years have brought great Improvement n
The Valley systems. and the amount OF water diverted
!. irrigated has decreased materially, but before
.no,her five years has passed, it is safe to predist'
r.r system will be under concrete and oeiivering r.
r;r.,ior water with maximum efficiency and at min
imum cost.