| OCR Text |
Show 91 was a manifestation of changing attitudes towards water districts, particularly so with respect to who should be included and therefore pay for water development. The law continued to allow water districts to issue bonds to spread out the cost of development over long periods of time. The districts paid for water projects by two means: first, by marketing the water to cities, farmers, business, and other water districts, and second, by allowing taxation of both direct and indirect beneficiaries included within the district boundaries. As with earlier water/ irrigation/ drainage districts, one of these three new district institutions ( the metropolitan water districts, soil conservation districts, and water conservancy districts) could be utilized by associations of water users when large financially secure repayment organizations were needed to contract with the construction agencies. The new districts made potential water development projects more appealing to the Bureau of Reclamation and other funding sources. Consequently, the job of the Utah's water development officials was made considerably easier. Conclusion The 1935 through 1947 period was one of fine- tuning the state's water administration apparatus. The period witnessed the last institutional experiment with the state's primary water development agencies. Through the Publicity and Industrial Development Board, the state's lawmakers attempted to group water development with general economic development. The water users, however, rejected the board and called for a return to the previous structure of a separate state agency concerned with water development. Additionally, the influence which state officials could exert over general water development was increased in 1935, when the Utah State Supreme Court decided that groundwater resources were to be treated under the same laws as all other water resources and placed them under the jurisdiction of the Office of the State Engineer. During this period, major efforts were undertaken to deal with the problems of erosion, flooding, and water quality. By establishing the Utah State Soil Conservation Committee and passing the associated district act to allow local organization, the legislature created institutions which worked to solve the above mentioned problems. Working with the State Engineer and others, these entities built projects and promoted policies which dealt with solving water related problems. The legislature also worked to facilitate organization of associations and districts of water users to manage and finance water development. The Metropolitan Water District Act and the Water Conservancy Act were steps which enhanced the ability of Utah water users to interest the federal agencies in funding Utah projects. |
