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Show 86 area of responsibility but not in a change in the philosophy of the office or the law. This change in the legal status of an important segment of the water supply was prompted by diminishing unappropriated surface water resources of the state, recognition of the growing importance of groundwater, and severe drought conditions during the 1930s. While this action increased the complexity of the State Engineer's job, it integrated all water allocation decisions into one office. State Agencies The Office of the State Engineer By 1930 the state of Utah had developed a comprehensive and effective system for the administration and distribution of water resources. The State Engineer's Office, created in 1897, was now issuing permits for and administering water rights, maintaining records of water flows, and inspecting and approving water structures. In addition, the office had a significant work load dealing with the increasing number of groundwater applications. 5 The office also provided specialized engineering services to other state agencies, including design of flood control structures. In 1937 the State Soil Conservation Committee assumed responsibility for flood control but relied upon the Office of the State Engineer for technical support. 6 Groundwater issues, applications, and flood control design accounted for much of the office's activity in the years after 1935. ( See table 6.) 5The understanding of groundwater and the problems involved was well developed by the 1930s. For an excellent treatment see: Willard Gardner, T. R. Collier, and Doris Farr, Groundwater: Part 1, Fundamental Principles Governing Its Physical Control, Utah Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin, 252 ( Logan, Utah: Utah State Agricultural College, November 1934). Also see O. W. Israelsen, W. W. McLaughlin, Drainage of Land Overlapping an Artesian Ground- water Reservoir: Progress Report, Utah Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin, 242 ( Logan, Utah: Utah State Agricultural College, November 1932). 6State of Utah, Laws of the State of Utah ( 1937), Chapter 166, Section 2, pp 213- 214. Also see State of Utah, " Biennial Report," Public Documents of the State Engineer's Office and the Soil Conservation Commission for the years following 1937. Prior to 1937 the responsibility had rested with the State Land Board and the Utah State Conservation Commission. |