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Show 228 IRRIGATION INVESTIGATIONS IN UTAH. the county court appointed water masters as it did tax collectors. When the judges of the districts north began to hold the awards of the county selectmen in valid, the farmers on Virgin River were too far away to know it, and to this day many of them will draw their ''water" from their vest pocket with assurance of absolute possession and ownership. When, in 1865, the law authorizing irrigation districts was passed, one was straightway formed embracing the valley of the Santa Clara, and efforts were made to form them at Washington and Springdale. When the districts failed, the practice common in the north of protecting rights by incorporating the irrigation interests in the different settlements was taken up, and this is the stage being passed through to-day. It has already been stated that because the water in the river does not pass in the dry season from one division to another, water titles in each of the three agricultural divisions of the Virgin Basin are practically independent of water titles in the other two. This fact makes it desirable to follow the plan used in discussing agricultural conditions and to consider water titles in the three divisions separately. To make the discussion clear, it will be repeated here that what is called the central division of Virgin River is that between the narrows in Zion Creek and East Fork canyons, above the towns of Rockville, Springdale, and Shunesburg, and the narrows in the river below St George. It embraces St. George, Bloomington, Price, and Atkinville, on the river below St. George; the valley of Santa Clara Creek, including Santa Clara, Shebits Indian Farm, Gunlock, Magotsa, Pine Valley, and Grass Valley; Washington and Middleton; Harrisburg and Leeds, on Quail Creek: Kanarraville, Harmony, Bellevue, and Toquerville, on Ash and Kunarra creeks; La Verkin; the proposed Hurricane settlement; Virgin City,. North Creek, Graf ton, Rockville, and Springdale. Excepting Zion Creek, none of the tributaries discharges water into Virgin River during the dry season and only small amounts during the remainder of the year. They have consequently always been considered independent of the Virgin, and they will be so considered in this discussion and taken up separately. ON VIRGIN RIVER. The settlements on Virgin River in the central division, beginning with thoso highest on the stream, are: Springdale, Shunesburg, Rockville, Graf ton, Virgin City, Hurricane Bench, La Verkin Bench, St George, Bloomington, Price, and Atkinville. The canals and ditches furnishing water to these settlements, arranged in order, commencing at the head of the stream, follow: Summary ofdanals and ditches taking water from Virgin River in central division. No. Name of canal or ditch. Zion Ditch.............. Flanigan Ditch.......... Reiwch Ditch............ Windows Ditch.......... Crawford Ditch.......... Flanigan Ditch.......... Springdale Upper Ditch. Location. Above Springdale. ....do............. .do. .do. .do. .do. Springdale Area watered Acret. 40 40 1J0 96 |
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Original book: Utah exhibits [of the] State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California, Palo Verde Irrigation District, Imperial Irrigation District, Coachella Valley County Water District, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of Los Angeles, City of San Diego, and County of San Diego, defendants, United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners, State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties |