Show WELL OWNERS MAY STILL FILE CLAIMS underground water users who have neglected to file claims to their wells drains and tunnels before the recent deadline set by the lie last legislature will still have an opportunity to do so according to an opinion of the start attorney i gc general the opinion held that the state engineer could not refuse and should file any claim presented for underground water since the mattor matter would ultimately have to be determined ter mined by the court owners who have not J do so to protect their water r rights I 1 i in any particular area T 11 II ilum humpherys state engineer said securing of water rights is an important factor in determining land values he pointed out it is necessary for the state engineer to know of existing rights when considering new filings more than underground water claims have been filed since the law was passed in 1935 the filing fee is and when a claim is once filed it becomes a permanent record no re filings will be required for any one claim although there are still a number of wells on record and unaccounted for by claim it is believed owners have failed to claim in many instances because the wells no value failure tofile to file claims according to state law is evidence of intent to abandon in order to clear records owners worthless wells are asked to file i certificate of abandonment with the state engineer and at the same time lime receive instructions for plug ging the wells unless a clai claim rn is is filed and a right established to the water it should be permanently plugged to prevent waste in plugging a well the water should be shut off at its source by a 4 wad of burlap or by dry concrete sacked and rammed tightly into place the sop filled in with cement and sand in filling a wet well the filling for the wad is made up of clay sand and gravel |