344 IRRIGATION INVESTIGATIONS IN CALIFORNIA. 



Notwithstanding the decision of the supreme court that the cit}- has no authority 

 to sell water outside its limits this is still being done to some extent. This custom 

 is not maintained in defiance of the courts, but simplj' because it is a phj'sical impos- 

 sibilitj' to yield exact obedience to the court's decisions. Occasions sometimes arise 

 when there are odd hours or fractions of daj's not covered bj' applications of irriga- 

 tors within the city. At such times the surplus water ought not to be diverted from 

 the river by the city, but it should be allowed to flow down the natural channel of 

 the river for the benefit of riparian owners. This is obviousl}' impossible under the 

 circumstances. The zanjas are manj" miles in extent and hours are required for the 

 passage of water from headgates to the consumers. The attempt to perfectly regu- 

 late at the headgates the flow in each ditch would lead to the utmost confusion and 

 result in much loss of water. Moreover, small quantities of water allowed to flow 

 down the river bed at wide intervals of time would accomplish no good whatever, 

 but would be wholly lost. Under these conditions, therefore, it is the practice to 

 allow the surplus water to run through the zanjas to the lower limits of the city, 

 there to be taken and used b\- outsiders. 



Although the process of supplying irrigators is usually termed " selling water," 

 it will be seen from the above form of receipt that it is technicall}' the use of the 

 ditch which is sold or rented. The rate charged outsiders is fo and $2.50 per "head" 

 for day and night, respectively. It will be noted also that the city does not under- 

 take to supply a definite quantitj' of water, nor does it assume any responsibilitj' 

 whatsoever. The irrigator does not acquire a permanent right to the use of water; 

 he simply rents from month to month the xise of the ditch to conve}" his pro rata 

 share of the available supply, taking his chances against losses by breaks or thefts. 

 New land is entitled to the same consideration as that which has been using water for 

 many years. 



The growth of the city has been remarkably rapid. As the built-up portions 

 have extended over the farming lands, the amount of water taken from the pressure 

 83'stem of the cit}' for domestic purposes has increased correspondinglj-, while the 

 demand for irrigation is said to have been kept about the same from j-ear to 3'ear by 

 successive extensions of the city boundaries. The result has been a demand upon the 

 river greater than ever before, and greater than it is capable of meeting under 

 existing conditions. 



The methods of distributing irrigation water practiced by the city of Los Angeles 

 are astonishingly crude and unsatisfactory. It would be impossible to find another 

 system in California — in the southern portion at least, and probablj- not elsewhere in 

 the State-^where such unscientific means are still employed. The practice is simply 

 the survival of the old-time careless Mexican method, little if anj' improved by lapse 

 of time. Given an unknown quantity of water in a ditch, comprising a certain num- 

 ber of "heads," one "head" to serve 10 acres for twenty -four hours each month; 

 required, the pro rata to be delivered to 3i acres, 22 acres, 8^, 16, 1,120, 80, 27, 30, 



9 etc., acres, respectively. It would seem that the solution of problems as 



miportant as these should be attacked by some more scientific method than the 

 guessing ability of the "zanjeros." 



The foregoing is not to be regarded as reflecting upon the water overseer's force. 

 Theii- duties are performed according to instructions from the cit}' council. The 



