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Show AGRICULTURE UNDER IRRIGATION IN BASIN OF VIRGIN RIVER. 257 Fork were awarded in addition to the entire stream. The main stream was divided into l,201£ shares, each share supposedly representing the amount of water necessary for the irrigation of 1 acre. The Mount Carmel Irrigation Company was given 404$ shares, the Glendale Irrigation Company 434 shares, the Orderville Irrigation Company 265J shares, and the remainder went to a number of individuals. Each of the parties to the suit was perpetually enjoined from interfering with the rights of the others. A water commissioner was appointed by the court to carry out the provisions of the decree. There has since been appointed a county water commissioner, who exercises geneml supervision over the distribution of the water in the valley. Prior to this decree, several attempts had been made to settle water titles in the valley. Conditions had been acute since settlement because of the shortage of water. March 16, 1878, articles of agreement regarding titles were drawn up by the farmers in the valley. This agreement has been lost, and its exact provisions are unknown, but whatever it was, it did not prove satisfactory, and the matter of a settlement was taken up by the Mormon Church authorities at Kanab, by whom a decision apportioning the water in question was rendered April 2,1879. This decision stated the area entitled to water as 1,162£ acres and apportioned the water ratably over that area. Instructions were given as to the means to be employed in dividing the water. This award did not give satisfaction, and other agreements followed, which were set aside by order of court February 9, 1897, in case of G. D. MacDonald et al. v. Jedidiah Adair et al. The setting aside of the agreements by order of the court was the opening wedge for the adjudication of the entire East Fork in the later suit of Mount Carmel Irrigation Company et al. v. L. J. Hopkins et al. KANAB CREEK. Kauab Creek is a small stream whose flow is comparatively constant, with the exception of summer floods. The irrigable land under it reaches many thousands of acres, and is far beyond the capacity of the creek to irrigate. Not over 1,200 acres are now watered in the three settlements of Kanab, Fredonia, and Upper Kanab, and this area can not be appreciably increased without storage. The burden of building irrigation works on Kanab Creek has been a heavy one. At Kanab alone, where no more than 750 acres is watered, $70,000 has been expended on dams and ditches. Of this amount, a large part has been expended in removing from the ditches the sand deposited by the heavy summer floods, over $700 having gone for that purpose during the summer of 1902. It is probable that this outlay would have been considered prohibitive had it been foreseen when settlement was begun. It would have discouraged the settlers had it not been that for many of them there was no choice after they had once cast their lot in this section but to face the difficulties as they were presented. The lessons of experience have therefore been hard, but the results reflect credit on the perseverance and industry of the settlers. KANAB. The only ditch taking water from the creek at Kanab, which is also the principal ditch on the stream, heads 2£ miles above town, at the Kanab Dam (PI. XVIII, fig. 1), and follows the east bank to and past town to a small reservoir (PI. XVIII, fig. 2). 18189-No. 124-03-----17 |
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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 |