THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



107 



(Continued from Page 101.) 



tions exist on farms which necessitate operating the 

 laterals in a manner dangerous to the system and 

 these conditions can be and should be remedied by 

 the farmer. For the protection of the system, the 

 elimination of unnecessary costs of operation and 

 maintenance, and the protection of other water 

 users, it is the duty of the project manager to en- 

 deavor to have these harmful conditions removed, 

 and it is also the duty of the water users' association, 

 a duty that is now being evaded on this project, to 

 lend its support and assistance to the correction of 

 these conditions. 



It would also be in the province of a properly 

 organized water users' association or district to take 

 up the subject of project drainage and settlement, 

 as well as all other movements looking to the ad- 

 vancement and betterment of the irrigation system 

 and of the project in general. No small part of its 

 duties would be to procure and disseminate among 

 water users full and correct information with regard 

 to all matters of interest in connection with the con- 

 duct or project business by the Reclamation Service. 

 Through the performance of this duty a great deal 

 of dissatisfaction based on misunderstandings could 

 be obviated and at the same time by taking an inter- 

 est in these matters and by providing for full pub- 

 licity, anything undesirable or improper in the proj- 

 ect organization or plans could be quickly brought 

 to light and promptly remedied. 



It should be understood by all water users that 

 they share in the responsibility for the advancement 

 of the project and the conduct of its business. It 

 will not do to lean on the Reclamation Service or let 

 someone else do the work. The success of this or 

 any other project depends in a large measure on the 

 interest taken by the farmers and the helpful exer- 

 cise of their influence and power through well-or- 

 ganized associations or districts. 



One of the principal differences between the 

 Truckee-Carson project and other projects of the 

 Reclamation Service today lies in the matter of or- 

 ganization. The projects that are making the most 

 rapid advancement, that are securing the advantages 

 open to them under the terms of the Reclamation 

 Extension act for securing drainage and other im- 

 provements, and are taking active steps to divert 

 settlement their way, are those projects on which 

 the water users are organized in strong and efficient 

 working bodies. 



It is pleasing to note that progress toward an 

 organization of this kind is being made on this 

 project through the efforts of the general board of 

 the water users, consisting of the boards of direc- 

 tors of the informal associations in the various dis- 

 tricts. More of the spirit of harmony among water 

 users has been manifested during the past year than 

 previously, and undoubtedly the time is here for the 

 organization of a legal water users' association or 

 district that will represent all .water users and will 

 be empowered to take official action for them. The 

 efforts of the general board in this direction are 

 worthy of the support of all water users and it is to 

 be hoped that they will continue their efforts un- 

 ceasingly and to a successful issue. 



Mr. Water User, the project officers need your 

 active organized support. Will you do your share? 



UNCLE SAM'S "IRRIGATION" SCHOOL 



Over against the time when the farmers on the 

 reclamation projects of the west will take over and 

 manage for themselves the great irrigation systems 

 now under government control, Uncle Sam, through 

 the reclamation service, is taking every opportunity 

 to give them experience in practical business affairs. 

 One of the most important steps of this sort is being 

 taken just now by encouraging the project associa- 

 tions of water users to become real estate agents. 

 Incidentally, while by this procedure the future 

 owners of the important irrigation plants will be 

 given an opportunity to train their business ability, 

 the government will also be helped in solving one 

 of the big problems in connection with the reclama- 

 tion work the prompt and proper disposal of the 

 thousands of acres of privately owned unutilized 

 lands on the projects. 



When the federal reclamation work was first 

 planned it was meant primarily to reclaim public 

 lands that could be offered to the homesteader for 

 merely the pro-rated cost of constructing the dams, 

 ditches and other works. But much land in the 

 available irrigable areas had already passed into 

 private hands, it was soon found. For a time it was 

 even planned to ignore this land, and to build the 

 ditches around it solely for the benefit of the govern- 

 ment land. This was seen, however, to be imprac- 

 ticable, so the private land was admitted to the 

 irrigation benefits for the same payment per acre as 

 that exacted from entrymen on the public lands. 



One important stipulation was made, however. 

 The private lands must be subdivided to the project 

 unit, and sold within a period after completion of 

 the project, to be set by the Secretary of the Interior. 

 The secretary is about to fix the period for a num- 

 ber of the projects, and the reclamation service has 

 suggested that it would be to the advantage of all 

 parties to stimulate the sale of this unused land to 

 first-class farmers before it will have to be sold at 

 auction. 



The plan put forward by the government is for 

 the existing project associations, made up of all the 

 water users, to take options in due commercial form 

 on the private lands that must be sold and then to 

 make efforts to negotiate sales. The idea is to do 

 away with all suggestion of "boom" methods and 

 the desire that usually goes with them to "catch 

 suckers," and to be sure instead that every pur- 

 chaser shall receive a square deal. In encouraging 

 the water associations to go into the real estate 

 business the reclamation service officials have cau- 

 tioned them to take options only at prices that they 

 would be willing to pay if purchasing for them- 

 selves. 



The plan has appealed to the associations on a 

 number of the projects, and some have taken it up in 

 a thoroughgoing way. These not only have em- 

 ployed experienced real estate men to negotiate 

 sales, but have also hired soil experts to make a 

 careful examination of the various tracts in order 

 that they may advise prospective purchasers on all 

 points. 





