WATER APPROPRIATION FROM KINGS RIVER. 291 



This canal was constructed in 1883. Farmers in the vicinity of Fowler who wanted 

 water for their own lands fomied a coiporation, the capital stock of which was fixed 

 at $150,000, divided into 1,500 shares, of which 300 were subscribed for. It was 

 agreed that in payment for each share labor and material might be contributed to the 

 extent of $200, the remainder to be paid in coin. It was soon found, however, that 

 the first issue of shares would not cover the cost of canal construction, and it was 

 followed b}' a second issue of 300 shares, which were taken by the same persons who 

 held the first issue. About $110,000 were expended on canal construction in the first 

 two years. 



The water in the canal is apportioned to the stockholders, who may ask for the 

 delivery of their water at any point on the main canal. This has led to the construc- 

 tion of a number of branch ditches under independent management (owned by the 

 landowners), which receive their water from the main canal. One of the principal 

 branches of this sort is the Elkhorn Ditch. It is owned b^' a companj- in which thirty 

 shares are represented. Some of the stockholders in the Elkhorn Ditch Company 

 are not holders of Fowler Switch stock. In such cases they are required to buy 

 their water from some stockholder. The use of the Elkhorn Ditch is restricted to 

 its owners, no water being sold. 



The water represented by the stock of the I" owler Switch Canal Company is at 

 the disposal of the individual stockholders to the extent that it maj' be leased or sold 

 and its deliverj' ma}' be called for through any branch ditch. No system of water 

 measurement or special design of gate has been prescribed. All gates in distributing 

 ditches are constructed by the consumers. The delivery of water through these gates 

 is in charge of a canal superintendent. The canal company itself does not sell anj^ 

 water. All expenses are met by assessing the stockholders. 



The structures on the canal do not merit extended notice. They are all of very 

 light constiniction. The check weirs or drops are A-shaped, upper and lower faces 

 being permanentlj- sheathed with light boarding. There is no diverting dam at the 

 head of the canal, which has been located just above a natural cobblestone and bowlder 

 riffle. 



Within the last few years the canal company has adopted the policy of selling 

 water, the charge for the same being 75 cents per acre for each irrigation. 



Under the statute which appears to give an appropriator of water the right to 

 change at will the points at which he diverts water, an arrangement has been made 

 b\' the owners of the Fowler Switch Canal with the Emigrant Irrigation Ditch Com- 

 pany under which the latter is allowed to take a part of the water to which it claims 

 title through the Fowler Switch Canal. The water entering the canal is apportioned 

 to the irrigators entitled to receive water from either of the canals. The area irri- 

 gated or benefited bj' the water of the Fowler Switch Canal, together with that 

 served bj' the Emigrant Canal, has been estimated at about 10,000 acres. The maxi- 

 mum capacitj' of the canal is about 700 cubic feet per second. 



CENTERVILLE AND KINGSBTTRG CANAL. 



This is another of the important north side canals from Kings River belonging 

 to the upper group of canals. Its head is about 2 miles in a direct line northeast of 

 Centerville, and about the same distance by river below the head of the Fowler 



