1905 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



209 



sioners was eliminated. New sec- 

 tions were added, providing for the 

 complete control of new appropria- 

 tions by the State Engineer, and a reg- 

 ular legal procedure was provided for 

 the severing of the water right from 

 land on which irrigation had become 

 impracticable and the removal thereof 

 to new land. 



NEW MEXICO. 



An appropriation of $2,500 is made 

 from certain funds of the Territory 

 relative to irrigation and reservoir 

 construction to assist in the organi- 

 zation of a water users association 

 under the Rio Grande Project of the 

 Reclamation Service. This act was 

 approved March 13, 1905. 



An act was passed covering, in gen- 

 eral, the appropriation of water, and 

 providing for a Territorial irrigation 

 engineer; approved March 16, 1905. 

 The act provides that the Territorial 

 irrigation engineer shall at the request 

 of the proper officer of the United 

 States authorized by law to construct 

 irrigation works, set aside from fur- 

 ther appropriation under the laws of 

 the Territory any unappropriated 

 waters which may be needed for such 

 government works. 



Another act of March 16, provides 

 a method of appropriating water for 

 mining, milling, agriculture, and other 

 useful purposes. 



Another act approved March 16, 

 provides for the protection of ditches, 

 pipe lines, reservoirs, etc., from injury, 

 and also prevents pollution of waters 

 used for domestic purposes. 



An act approved February 22, 1905, 

 provides for the regulation of the use 

 of artesian wells and prevents waste 

 of subterranean waters. 



NORTH DAKOTA. 



The Legislatue passed a general ir- 

 rigation code, following, substantially, 

 the draft of irrigation code prepared 

 last fall by the Reclamation Service, 

 providing for a State Engineer, for 

 adjudication of water rights, and for 

 the regulation of water appropriations. 



This code was approved March I, 

 1905, and provides, further, for the 

 appropriation of the waters of the 

 State where needed for reclamation 

 projects by the United States, allow- 

 ing a period of three years for begin- 

 ing construction. It provides, also, 

 for right of way over State lands 

 for irrigation works constructed by 

 authority of the United States, and 

 also that State lands within reclama- 

 tion projects shall be disposed of in 

 conformity with the provisions for the 

 disposition of public lands. 



An act was passed providing for the 

 filing of stock subscriptions to water 

 users associations organized in con- 

 formity with the regulations of the 

 United States under the reclamation 

 act, at a nominal fee. This act also 

 contains general provision for right 

 of way over State lands for irrigation 

 works required by such water users 

 associations, and, in addition, author- 

 izes the State and other municipal or- 

 ganizations to join the water users as- 

 sociations when they own land under 

 the project. 



An act was passed providing a 

 nominal fee for the organization of 

 water users associations formed in 

 connection with Reclamation projects. 



OKLAHOMA. 



A bill was passed providing for co- 

 operation with the United States Geo- 

 logical Survey for a topographic sur- 

 vey of the Territory, an appropria- 

 tion of $5,000 per annum being made 

 to be spent in connection with an equal 

 amount to be allotted by the govern- 

 ment. 



The Legislature passed a general 

 irrigation code similar to that passed 

 by the State of North Dakota, estab- 

 lishing the office of State Engineer, 

 providing for water appropriations by 

 the United States, for right of way 

 over Territorial lands, and for the dis- 

 position of Territorial lands in con- 

 formity with thi' requirements of the 

 government where the same are in- 

 cluded in reclamation projects. This 

 act also provides for the filing at a 



