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Show Application for 25 Second Feet of Water On Virgin River Denied Declaring other rights on the river system would be impaired and that dilligence in construction work under the application had not been prosecuted, State Engineer En-gineer T. H. Humpherys Wednesday Wednes-day denied an application to appropriate ap-propriate 35 second feet of water from the headwaters of the Virgin river. A request for further extension of time to make proof of appropriation ap-propriation was submitted to the state engineer by the St. George and Washington Canal company, present holders of the application. Since the request was made, an application for change in use and diversion of the water was filed in the state office by the company. com-pany. The application for appropriation appropria-tion was filed in 1922 by the Columbia Trust company of Salt Lake City and was assigned to the St. George company in 1937. It was originally made to transfer 35 second feet of water from a tributary of the Virgin river in Kane county into the Sevier river for use on lands in Millard and Juab counties. The application was approved by the state engineer in 1924 on condition con-dition that proof of appropriation be submitted before December 1 of the following year. Nine extensions ex-tensions of time were granted in which to make proof but provision for diversion of the water was not made and it was allowed to flow into the Virgin river where it was used under existing rights. The change application asks that the water be used in Kane and Washington counties through canal systems already constructed. "If the extension of time were granted and a change of place of use made as provided by law," Mr. Humpherys said, "the amount of water available for lands under the Virgin river system would not be increased. The net result would be taking from other users under the river system, waters which they have heretofore used and deliver it to the applicant, resulting re-sulting in loss to important irrigation ir-rigation works already constructed. con-structed. At the time the application was made to divert the water into the Sevier river it was protested hv the present applicants, the Rockville Town Canal company, Hurricane Canal company and the Virgin Canal company. |