Show Constructive Irrigation Program Is Being ein Urged r e For Utah 1 t I i. i r I Storage Association Engineer Summarizes Present Conditions Condi Condi- Conditions Lions and Outlines Legis Legislation lation General Assembly Assembly Assembly Assem Assem- bly Should Enact Into Law A summary of conditions governing governing governing govern govern- ing Irrigation in Utah and of oC what may be done to better these condi condl- conditions has been prep prepared red by A A. F. F Parker chief engineer of oC the Utah Water Storage association Mr Parker proposes legislation at the present session of the Utah legislature legislature legislature legisla legisla- ture passage of which he considers vitally necessary 1 If irrigation in Utah is to progress to any considerable extent extent extent ex ex- ex- ex tent or even ven to maintain an equality ty in progress with the same industry industry industry indus indus- try in other states have Mr Parker We now says In the way of irrigation only what is practically a pioneer develop develop- ment This development is less less' than thana a 50 per cent development of the resources that nature has provided for our use in that line To better this condition involves involve expenditures too great to be undertaken undertaken undertaken under under- taken except by cooperation and or or- or State Supervision Necessary It is necessary to have state slate aid and supervision to outline a policy and devise plans secure federal aid I when possible and desirable define an allocate rights and protect the interests in in- Interests interests In- In of all concerned in this thin most Important matter which lies at very foundation of our states state's pros pros- All it is hoped will finally get this view the true view agriculture is the foundation upon which all our commerce industries individual employment and continued welfare depend and t that at Irrigation is the inseparable concomitant of f ture Every well cultivated farm In Utah must have lave a fu rul l S supply of oC Irrigation Irrigation Ir irrigation Ir- Ir water lasting through the entire growing season if full Cull crop production production Is to be realized What Is a farm but a factory who whose output output output out out- put is food citizens and hom homes s Irrigation is a practice of ot such tremendous importance to the commonwealth commonwealth com com- that it should become a direct state concern In the same manner as are roads upon which the public money has been and continues to be lavishly expended Report Covers Work ork At a cost as he points out of oC about enough money to build one- one half a mile of surfaced hard roads road Mr Parker says that the Utah Water Storage association has at its forthcoming forthcoming forth forth- coming engineers engineer's report will show much that Is of oC real permanent and constructive benefito benefit to o the people of oC eight of oC the northern northern north north- ern srn counties In Utah in the matter of or f Irrigation The slogan of that as- as by pubic public public pub pub- which Is supported lic ic funds from the eight counties is future agricultural growth will be measured by the storage of waters now being wasted Mr Parker compares the advIsability advisability of expending public money for roads and of oC giving state support Inthe in inthe the he way of organization and cooperation coover- coover cooper cooper- to agricultural and other public public pub pub- lic le interests which will with their and own wn money construct operate maintain irrigation projects Comparisons son son-ns MadeNo Made Mude No IINo one of oC good sense he says will wUl for a moment decry the value and desirability of good roa roads ds but it must be said in all f fairness that surfaced hard-surfaced roads are are ly fy expensive something like up to or so per mile The maintenance maintenance main maln- of such Is a public charge and they will some time wear out and and to to be rebuilt at public expenses surfaced Hard roads do add much to the pleas pleasure re and comfort of the people people peo- peo peo people they save savo money and time to those having haYing hauling to do and promote promote promote pro pro- mote Industry and commerce by by easier easler cheaper and more rapid trans trans- In III such ways the general general gener gener- al al' welfare and prosperity Is enhanced ed d but they do not give an immedi- immedi and nd v visible e return In money money honey or or add except indirectly to the he revenues of the state or greatly Increase the population Whereas irr irrigation gatlon works once onca properly built are aro permanent The cost host w while whilo llo large Is but a fraction of the tho cost of surfaced hard-surfaced roads The The cost host is paid by the owners of the farms arms benefited directly and nd such 1 pay the costs of oC operation and maintenance main maln- i The returns from the money expended are Immediate lastIng last- last In Ing definite and evident through in increased increased in- in creased crop production enhanced farm values greater population and larger state revenues from taxes due to increased assessed values not direct dl- dl di direct on the farms only but accruing from the Increased Industries and commerce following Increased cop crop production Irrigation Increases Revenues It Is evident that Irrigation will help materially through increased state revenues in providing the needed much-needed funds to continue road b building Mr Parker discusses In detail the present situation with regard to Irrigation ire Irl gation gatlon development and sketches In outline outline a general plan for Cor legislation which he believes will meet the present pres pres- I ent problems of the Industry in the state It is truly astonishing how during durIng during dur dur- ing our pioneer period the building of so many canals and Irrigation works was accomplished but the diversions dl- dl di diversions versions from the streams were con con- until the full normal flow from Crom them I is id engaged so far tar as such will vill go in Irrigation power production production production tion and municipal uses All has been done possible for communities to accomplish and such accomplishment accomplish accomplish- ment represented by our wat water r rights and present systems of canals and ditches forms the foundation of our present crop production Problem for tor State There seems to to be no way of securing securing securing se se- se- se curing any considerable amount of additional irrigating water without building large storage reservoirs and high line canals This puts us i face Yace to face with a problem m of such t magnitude that it can only be accomplished accomplished ac- ac f 1 with success by team teamwork teamwork work by cooperation by o organization organization tion with all under state supervision rand r and aid ald This pioneer development for development for f that Is what hat It must be in general designated designated- Is less than a 50 percent percent per cent development It is possible and practicable to double and in some cases case treble the present crop tion Lion It is not only to provide water for tor new lands but water must be bead bedad had dad ad for late irrigation on a large part of f the present irrigated tracts Our irrigated areas are situated In n groups often widely often depending upon a common source of water supply This brings to o us the problem of developing the water supply with full justice to all Interests How is it possible for Cor the separate areas and communities to combine and settle all questions of rights tights and the division of oC water and the he costs of development without- without loss of rights or failure nure to develop f supplies on the part of some of the t i J S smaller mailer communities or recourse to t the he long tedious and costly methods I of tf litigation First Step Taken V This should make clear the necessity ne- ne 5 of oC bringing the authority of k the he state Into play to take charge of tt such common sources of water supply and allocate the rights of all aU therein herein and segregate the costs of development This state aid in the J matter can be secured by the enactment enact- enact j 3 ment vent of proper legislation The first I step has been taken by the passage of tf our new Irrigation district law Several districts have been created and tad more are in con contemplation More yet ret should be formed It Is necessary s for or the protection of the rights an area area may have in a distant water supply In which still other comma comma- titles are concerned Each of these irrigation districts will viii have many local problems of or Ir- Ir will be i s s 1 and dr drainage which the he concern of only that district and sU such uch h may not need a district organization organ organ- to deal with local matters But lut every area or district having Interest interest in- in terest erest In a possible source of supply at t a distance and there are other other- areas reas or districts with an Interest In is Inthe 1 the he same distant distant supply then Ten In la uch such cases it it is necessary necessary In order to o properly protect their rights and Continued on Page Pour Four j 7 CONSTRUCTIVE IRRIGATION r F i From Page One interest in such common source of water water- water supply supply to have a district or organization or- or S for that purpose Tentative o Law Drawn There has been prepared a tentative tentative tenta tenta- tive Uve draft of such a law as best seems to fit the necessity It is through the work done by the Utah Storage Water Vater association that has become available that Indicates the needs and enables a more or orless orless less clear understanding of the matter matter matter mat mat- ter to be had The Information gath Bath gathered gathered 5 ered eyed by the association indicates the wisdom of continuing such work iv ii ivis is further clear that such work can best be done under the authority ana and guidance of the state It is these considerations that have led up to the attempt to put laws on our statutes statutes statutes stat stat- utes that will properly govern this this' Important matter The forming of irrigating districts districts dis dis- for reasons heretofore given Is ts the first step Such districts have no no jurisdiction over existing water rights and nd canals All such are planned to continue to function as before under the s state tate engineer The new law is intended to not Interfere In any way with present conditions The first matter to come under the workings of the law is that of securIng securing ing lag an addition to our present water supply by building storage reservoirs to hold water for the season use and high line lino canals to convey such to the lands at the highest practical practical practical elevations Then and not until then will wUl it Il b become come evident what is best to do about exchange of or water rights etc |