| Show beneficial use of water in irrigation under alio laws of water rights as established by legislation and court decrees in alie and states of tho west the final test of a right to water for irrigation is that the water claimed shall be put to a bene fical use aa expressed by the laws of fc everal stiles beneficial ube is the basis the measure and the limit of rights to water these laws however do not attempt to to define beneficial use at a conference of alie project managers of the united states reclamation la mation service and representatives of alie department of agriculture held at salt lake city november 1215 12 15 a resolution attempting such a definition was adopted tins definition is somewhat long and detailed but in substance is as follows A water user is entitled to that amount of water that will render him a reasonable mai munt amount of good with a reasonable economic handling of the water he is entitled to the protection of the state in this right but in return the state has a right to demand that lie use reasonable care and judgement jud gement in conveying and using water and cultivating tiva ting his crops the conference adopted albo a dei antion of economical use which was in substance as follows since the water supply available for irrigation in alie western states is adequate for only a relatively small percentage of the entire ieng able acreage tho fundamental standard of economical use must be the financial results accomplished per acre foot of water applied rather than the yield per acre irrigated in future development the doctrine of beneficial use must in many cabes merge into or be supplanted by that of economic use the doctrine of beneficial uso looks to individual inter esst that of economic use to the general vT elfare of society as a so fa as possible water charges systems of distribution and regulations should be BO adjusted as to make the interest of alie individual water coincide with this public interest |
