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-
pose Of deciding upon some definite action toward pro-
tes: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
abb. for the Lower Rio Grande Valley. make it evident
there should be no delay and that the Valleys right
,heuld be settled beyond all possible controversy.
The state board Of water engineers is not in posi-
ton 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 to
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 to confuse surplus wa
,ers and normal flow. When that j. done. the irriga-
ton interests OF the Valley will be seriously menacei.
Negotiation Of a treaty with Mexico and ccnstruc-
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
,,,,d. AT best. several years will be required TO work
an, the Mexican treaty and conservation and division
~ Po Crande waters. The Valley must have the as
that such irrigation programs Is are now pro-
ro.,d near Eagle Pass and in the Big Berd region will
no, deprive this section of the normal flow
7, is a we'll established fact that the Rio Grandc
d,-;rg periods of low flow carries no more water than
:. necessary for existing irrigation projects. Those
.r.;.r.s which propose to use surplus waters and are
rr.t;nr provisions for storage thereof offer no serious
,hre.t to the lower Valley irrigation interests several
81 the new projects, and especially those along tne
nm reaches Of the stream, propose to use surplus
waters without providing storage. a CONDITION whioh
njl seriously affect hte normal flow on the lower
r..,hss and which the Valley must strive to prevent
AGAINST the claim of the Valley irrigation interests
right TO the normal flow OF the Rio Grande on
-. h..is Of prior beneficial use. there is only one e.
100 .rvument-that the Valley irrigation systems
!, uas.;ng immense quantities OF water. While u =
,us that due to canal seepage and other losses tne
-s.;.i.rev Of most Of the Valley systems Is iow' TINS
--.;,;or IL being remedied as fast as the districts can
Sn,rce canal lining. and development OF pipe systems
The past five years have brought great Improvement N
=. valley systems, and the snount Of water diver'eo
~ !. ;rr;,,ted has decreased materially, but before
pso,her five years has passed. it is safe to predict
-, .vs,em will be under concrete and delivering n
e,~..;or water with maximum efficiency and AZ MIN
irum cost