Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-01-08
TEXAS DAILY PRESS LEAGUE
The Irrigation Committee

IhTi tr- trr; ,oH interests or The Lower Rio
Grsnde Nsil'. should maintain utmost vigilance during
thr session II the legislature which convened today is
Indicated - the organization at Austin Friday Of a
committee r. gard u promote l,Fi-lation affecting r.
%ri=stirn.
oae feature - considerable significance in this
connection is that the Lower Rio Crsndc Valley. which
comprises rs rcr cent " the irrigated area Of the state,
has only one member on the committee Of nine. Very
fortunately for thc Valley that member is r. B. Rent.
frc q BroNnatihc. legal representative for a number
Of districts and familiar With every phase or Valley
irrigation problems. Also he is author Of several irrs
cation measures and has taken a prominent part in
framing the present irrigation laws. As a member %
the committee he can Re relied upon to protect Valley
Interests against any assault which may be launched
By those advocating radical changes in existing laws
laws with which the Valley is very we'll satisfied.
West Texans form the majority Of the committee.
which might be regarded as indicating that Valley in
terests are destined 70 receive secondary consideration.
Homer u. Nad-. secretary Of the Wess Texas Cham
Der Of Commerce, advocate Of revolutionary theories
relative to water appropriations and water rights, was
elected secretary OF the committee. Other members in
sludt Representative Leonard Tillotscn Of Sealy;
Richard Burgess. II Paso; John ". Gaines. San Anto-
MIC. Frani Kemp, Dallas; J. A. Kemp, Wichita Falls,
and Clarence Ousiey. Dallas.
When the statewide water committee was organized
in 1926 to settle the controversy between Brown
$500 800 80 lNHNN
from tho Colorado, the statement was made by West
Texans that an effort would be made at this session
OF the legislature TO secure passage OF a measure In
cooperating their theory to the effect that the right 70
water IA vest,I II the owner OF the land upon which
it origissies. In other words, this would give owners
on the upper reaches Of streams prior rights over those
below. regardless Of whether the former desired to
use them. This theory would reverse the usual order
of development starting in the fertile valleys on the
lower reaches by RELOCATING TO owners at the head Of
streams the power TO practically control use Of water
tho entire length - the stream.
West Texas j. ambitious to develop irrigation pro-
iects al some time in the fsrdistant future. In the
meantime the waters Of streams are being appropriated
for development projects. According to the theory OF
the West Texans these appropriations are infringing
mon their right. that there should be no utilization
~ wafer from streams originating in West Texas until
west Texans finally get around TO irrigation and take
such supplies as they may desire.
If the theory expressed ny West Texans Is moor
porated into law 1t would virtually matt irrisstioh g
mower development ir central and south Texas IL
would mean that the state water board would DC PET
mancntly cnjoincd from making appropriations uhu-
West Texas finally works out its Development plans
Tn, board would then be permitted 10 parcel out Sueh
residue. if any, As might remain IN the wstere0urses'
The prescnt irrigation laws, formulated after years
of cxperiencc. arc adequate 10 meet the needs 81 leNas'
and need no drastic revision. They arc designed 10
nrora,. no, "a halt or cmbsrrass. development under
irrigation. They do not provide that any one s'c''oh
NAV Indefinitely postpone development OF It's water
-, and p-e,ent all other sections lower down
-. -. ~,t,rreurso from developing until it final
II A., .es how much n the flow y desires II use'
rh,y provide that each development he permitted 70
-. efficient water to supply is needs. and u any
lection i = Isgrard in utilizing its supply n n ne
rl.r,d n = position whereby il can pfnail1'nT M mo'e
cnterprising actions.