298 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



ders, and each is alike powerless to adjust complications beyond them. 

 A report is to be made on the water laws which control the use of this 

 river. This report will describe how and where water is being used 

 and how this use has changed original conditions. It will explain the 

 nature of the rights to water and the methods employed in their pro- 

 tection. The solution of the issues which will be disclosed belongs to 

 the State legislatures and to Congress, and it will not be the purpose 

 of this investigation to anticipate or influence legislation, except so 

 far as the facts themselves exert such influence. 



The State authorities of all the States directly concerned have been 

 conferred with and have exjDressed their desire to have this investiga- 

 tion made and their willingness to cooperate in its prosecution. The 

 open-minded spirit, the desire to have justice done, the anxiety to 

 avert friction and controversy which has been manifested, and the 

 general belief that a full understanding of conditions will preserve 

 rather than injure the rights of present settlers has been a source of 

 much gratification to this Office and promises well for the future of 

 this sectio7i. 



STUDIES OF IRRIGATION IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



The larger problems which will come with the complete use of West- 

 ern streams which National aid to irrigation insures, and the larger 

 measure of public control which this renders inevitable, gives greater 

 value to the lessons of European irrigation. The people of the West 

 need to know how the older irrigated lands have solved the problems 

 which now confront them. The comparison of the irrigation methods 

 and jjolicies of Egypt with those of this country, contained in the report 

 made by Mr. C. T. Johnston, assistant chief of irrigation investiga- 

 tions, will be followed bj^ similar reports on other countries based on 

 facts to be gathered during the coming year. 



RICE IRRIGATION. 



The investigations of rice irrigation, both along the Gulf coast and 

 the Atlantic seaboard, have shown the need of continuing these studies. 

 There are a number of ]3roblems which uiaterially affect the public wel- 

 fare and which require impartial and comprehensive studj^ Among 

 these is the framing of laws to protect the present users of streams 

 against an increase in use which will exhaust the water supply and 

 jeopardize the success of this growing industry. 



The need of such legislation has been made plain by the events of 

 the present year. In a number of places the rainfall between June 

 and September, 1902, in the rice district of Louisiana and Texas has 

 been little more than that of the arid States during this period, and 

 this light rainfall, together with the rapid increase in the irrigated 

 acreage, caused a heavy drain on the bayous and streams. It resulted 

 in lowering the fresh-water level until the current of these baj'ous 

 was reversed, and, instead of fresh Avater flowing into the Gulf, salt 

 water invaded the bayous to the injuiy of the crop and the damage 

 of some of the pumps. In normal years these results would not have 

 occurred, but they show the danger from permitting an indefinite 

 increase in the number of pumping plants. If dependence is to be 

 had on the natural flow of these streams, it is certain that thej^ will 

 not supi3ly all the pumps which can be erected along their banks 

 nor furnish water for all the land which can be irrigated. Two things 

 seem, therefore, to be needed. One is a protection of prioi- rights 

 of the earlier water users, and another is the adoption of all the 



