98 



been uniformly eflfective is ^ivin": the water officials power to refuse 

 to deliver water to parties who do not comply with their orders 

 within a reasonable time. 



AAliile the systems of distribution in the various States ha\nncr 

 public officials for this purpose differ in detail, they are in general 

 the same. The essential thing is that the districts be as nearly 

 independent as possible, and that all rights which are in any way 

 interdependent come \\atliin the jurisdiction of a single official. 

 Colorado was the first State to provide for this, and its system is still 

 the model. The State is di"saded into di^^sions formed on drainage 

 lines, each of which is entirely independent, putting each stream 

 system under the control of a single division engineer. These are 

 subdi^^ded into districts wliich are also formed on drainage lines, but 

 are not entirel}^ independent. Each of these districts is served by a 

 commissioner, who is under the general direction of the division engi- 

 neer. The methods of meeting the cost of distribution differ ■s\4del3^. 

 In some States it is paid by the counties and in others assessed against 

 those using the water. This does not seem to be a matter of great 

 importance. It may very properly be assessed against the users of 

 the water, since they are the principal beneficiaries of the work, or it 

 may be paid by the county as a sort of bonus to the industry, justified 

 on the ground of the great public benefit derived. 



TABULAR SUMMARY. 



Public control of water, 1905. 



