236 IRRIGATION INVESTIGATIONS IN CALIFORNIA. 



THE WRIGHT DISTRICT LAW. 



In 1887 the now famous "Wright law," so called, was enacted. It was entitled 

 "An act to provide for the organization and government of irrigation districts and 

 to provide for the acquisition of water and other property, and for the distribution 

 of water thereby for irrigation purposes." 



Its passage grew out of a desire to end the interminable litigation arising between 

 the appropriatoi's of water for beneficial purposes, on the one hand, and the riparian 

 owners, holding rights acquired before the repeal of the riparian law. as before 

 explained, on the other. This litigation had threatened the life of irrigation in Cali- 

 fornia, and it was generall}' felt that a decisive step must be taken in the right 

 direction. 



This law provides for and authorizes the formation of public corporations called 

 "irrigation districts.'" 



Section 1 provides that 50, or a majority of the holders of title to lands suscepti- 

 ble of irrigation from a common source and by the same system of works, may organ- 

 ize an irrigation district under the provisions of this act. 



Section 2 provides the manner in which the district shall be organized, namely, 

 by petition to the board of supervisors and the filing of a sufficient bond in double 

 the amount of the probable cost of organizing the district. The board of supervisors 

 may exclude from the proposed district any lands which will not be benefited by its 

 formation. The matter shall then be voted on by the people at an election held for 

 that pui"pose and conducted as nearly as practicable in accordance with the genei*al 

 laws of the State. A two-thirds vote in favor of the formation of the district is 

 necessar}' to authorize it. 



Sections 3 to 11, inclusive, relate to the election of officers and their duties. 



Section 12 confers authority' upon the board of directors of the district to acquire — 



by purchase or condemnation, or other legal means, all rights and water rights and other property 

 necessary. * * * In case of purchase, the bonds of the district hereinafter provided for may be 

 used at their par value in payment, and in case of condemnation the board shall proceed in the name 

 of the district according to the laws of the State provided in such cases. The use of water required in 

 any irrigation district, together with tlie right of way for canals and ditches, sites for reservoirs, and 

 all other property is hereby declared to be a public use. 



Section 13 provides that the legal title to all property acquired under this act 

 shall immediateh' vest in such irrigation district, and shall be held by such district 

 in trust. 



Section 15 provides for the issuance of bonds to raise monej' for construction, 

 provides for special elections on the question, for the method of payment of the bonds, 

 and for special assessments when the sale of the bonds fails to furnish suflicient mone}' 

 to complete the work. 



Section 17 provides that the bonds and their interest shall be paid by means of 

 an annual assessment upon the real propertj' of the district, such assessment to be a 

 preferred lien. 



Section M provides for the payment and redemption of the bonds. 



Sections 35 and 36 provide for bids for the construction of the irrigation works 

 and for the payment of said work. 



