484 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol. 40 



enacted are now defined (1) by the courts, called the Colorado system; (2) by 

 administrative boards, called the Wyoming system; and (3) by administrative 

 boards and courts, called the Oregon system. Eight States, including Utah, 

 follow the Colorado system, three follow the Wyoming system, three the Oregon 

 system, and three have not yet provided special procedure for defining warer 

 rights. The Colorado system, as followed by Utah, has been practically inop- 

 erative during a period of 15 years. It is believed that if the public were repre- 

 sented in all proceedings for the purpose of defining vested water rights, the 

 permanency, or period of endurance, of each decree could be greatly increased 

 and the ultimate cost of litigation thereby decreased, thus better protecting the 

 interests of both the individual and the public. 



On the basis of this study of legislation, it is suggested that public distribution 

 of water should be improved (1) by making safe and adequate financial pro- 

 vision for the employment of water commissioners, (2) by preventing divided 

 jurisdiction of streams, and (3) by standardizing and keeping permanent and 

 accurate records of water deliveries. 



Border irrigation experiments, R. W, Ai.i.kn (F. S. Dcpt. Afjr., Bw, J'lnnt 

 Indus*, ^York Umatilla Expt. Farm, 1917. pp. 14-17). — Experiments on the 

 Umatilla Experiment Farm near Hermiston, Oreg., to ascertain the best length 

 and widtli of borders are reported. 



It was found that the 175-ft border was irrigated as economically as the 

 100-ft. border in 1916. In 1!»1T the LOO-ft. border was irrigated with 1 acre-ft. less 

 Water than the 175-ft. border. The smallest average application in the width- 

 of-border experiments was ."..-is acre-in. on the 20-ft border, and the largest 

 4.64 acre-in. on the 30-ft border. 



Irrigation requirements, R. E. Blair (U. S. Dcpt. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus., 

 Work- Yuma F.rpt. Farm, 1917. pp. .*?.$, 35). — Tabular data showing the water 

 requirements of the entire Yuma project for the year 1917, as accounted for 

 by the U. S. Reclamation Service, are given. The average amount of water 

 applied to each acre irrigated on the project was 3.7 acre-ft., as compared witli 

 3.2 aere-ft. during TOP',. 



Ground water in Reese River Basin and adjacent parts of Humboldt River 

 Basin, Nev., G. A. Waring (V. S. OeoU Survey, Water-Supply Paper J,2o-D 

 (1918), pp. 95-129. pis. 6, fig. 1). — This report deals with the ground water of 

 an area about 150 miles long and from 12 to 80 miles wide in the central part 

 of Nevada, and discusses the physiography and geology of the area and its 

 relation to ground-water supplies. 



Data on the quality of the ground water indicate that dug wells furnish water 

 which is generally satisfactory for domestic use, hut is only good or fair for 

 irrigation and poor for use in boilers. The water from springs is usually satis- 

 factory for domestic use and poor for boilers, but is better than that from dug 

 wells for Irrigation. The deeper drilled wells, if properly cased to exclude water 

 from near the surface, yield water that is more satisfactory for general uses 

 than either (Jug wells or sprii; 



Some data on artesian conditions in the valley are included. 



Ground water in Quincy Valley, Wash., A. T. Schwknm.mn and < ». K. 

 Meinzkr (U. S. Geol. Survey, Water-Supply Paper kt5-B (191S), pp. i.M-157, 

 pU. 2, figs. 2). — This report deals with the ground water supplies of an ana of 

 600 square miles a little south and east of the center of the State of Washing- 

 ton, the floor of which is a nearly smooth plain. The topography coi 

 essentially of great expanses of nearly level or gently sloping ground, inter- 

 rupted by hills and by deep trench-like valleys. 



The depth to water in the valley was ascertained at about 250 widely dis- 

 tributed points. It was found that in general the depth to water varies with 



