IREIGATION INVESTIGATIONS. 429 



IRRIGATION IN THE INSULAR POSSESSIONS OF THE UNITED 



STATES. 



HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 



During the past summer officials of the Hawaiian Islands requested 

 this Office to make such investigation of the irrigation problems of 

 these islands as would furnish the facts needed in framing an effective 

 code of irrigation laws. The need of such legislation is becoming 

 urgent. Large investments in irrigation works to supply water for 

 the growing of cane have made the subject of water ownership and 

 control one of the most important internal questions of these islands. 

 Proposals have been made by private parties to purchase from the 

 government all of the water rights attached to public lands. Wise 

 action on such proposals will be promoted by a thorough investiga- 

 tion of agricultural conditions and the prospective needs of irrigators. 

 An agent is now engaged in collecting facts as to the use of water on 

 these islands. 



PORTO RICO. 



Large areas in Porto Rico to be productive require irrigation. 

 Legislation will therefore be needed for the establishment of water titles 

 and to protect the holders of these titles in times of scarcity. It is 

 now admitted everywhere 'that if water laws and land laws had been 

 framed and administered together in the settlement of the arid West 

 many of the complications which now exist could have been averted. 

 The opportunity is now open for inaugurating a comprehensive code 

 of laws in Porto Rico which shall control development from the out- 

 set, and it is believed that an investigation to determine the facts on 

 which such laws should be based should be inaugurated at once. 



THE NEED OF EARLY AND EFFECTIVE REFORM OF IRRIGATION 



LAWS. 



While the area of land in the West susceptible of reclamation is 

 small when compared to the whole extent of the arid region, it is prac- 

 tically unlimited when reference is had to the water supply. Along 

 almost every stream there is an abundance of irrigable land and a short- 

 age of water. This brings attention to the importance of measure- 

 ments and experiments to determine how much water is necessary to 

 successful agriculture, and to inaugurate such measures in its distri- 

 bution and use as will secure the utmost economy. The area ultimately 

 to be reclaimed will depend wholly on the water supply, and any 

 excessive or wasteful use on land already under cultivation deprives 

 other land equally good of that which would give it value, prevents 



