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Show Additional Time For Water Filings Underground water users who have neglected to file claims to their wells, drains and tunnels be-f be-f re the recent deadline set by the last state legislature will still have an opportunity to do so, according ac-cording to an opinion of the state attorney general. The opinion held that the state engineer could not refuse, and should file, any claim presented for underground water, since the matter would ultimately have to be determined by the court. Owners who have not filed should do so to protect their water rights in any particular area, T. H. Humpherys, state engineer, said. Securing of water rights is an important factor in -determin-1 ing land values, he pointed out. It is necessary for the state engineer en-gineer to know of existing rights when considering new filings. More than 19,000 underground water claims have been filed since the law was passed in 1935. The filing fee is $2.50, and when a ! claim is ence filed it becomes aj permanent record. No refilings will be required for any one claim. Although there are still a number num-ber of wells on record and unaccounted unac-counted for by claim, if is believed believ-ed owners have failed to claim in many instances because the wells have no value. Failure to file claims, according to state law, is evidence of intent to abandon. In order to clear records, owjiers of worthless wells are asked to file a certificate of abandonment with the state engineer, and at the same time receive instructions for plugging the wells. Unless a claim is filed, and a right established estab-lished to the water, is should be permanently plugged to prevent waste. In plugging a well the water should be shut off at its source by a "wad" of burlap, or by dry concrete, . sacked and rammed tightly into place, the top filled in with cement and sand. In filling fill-ing a wet well the filling from the "wad" is made up of clay, sand and gravel. |