FUTURE NEEDS FOR DEVELOPMENT 267 



Many oil fields and mining districts had the same pattern of 

 disorganized development in early stages, and effective de- 

 velopment of those natural resources depended upon consoli- 

 dation of a large number of individual holdings and extrac- 

 tion based on sound scientific principles. In the same way, the 

 water resources might best be developed within recognized 

 hydrologic units by water utilities or districts formed by agree- 

 ment among the holders of established rights and having ex- 

 clusive responsibility for furnishing water for all require- 

 ments. In some areas such a community organization may be 

 the only effective means of realizing the full potential yield of 

 the available water resources and of supplementing the natu- 

 ral yield by artificial recharge or by reclaiming waste water. 

 Permissive legislation for organization of such water districts 

 by agreement of water users and other property owners might 

 provide opportunities for further development of water re- 

 sources under local autonomy, where existing water rights now 

 place a definite ceiling on development. New Mexico has rec- 

 ognized the desirability for community action in a statute that 

 provides for the formation of conservancy districts with the 

 broad power to take any necessary step to safeguard their water 

 supplies; several other states have similar laws. The formation 

 of a district for efficient management of available water re- 

 sources, in which all established water rights have been arbi- 

 trated and pooled, would be far more difficult but highly de- 

 sirable in some areas. 



Water-conservation Practices 



Many practices serve to increase the quantity of water avail- 

 able for use and are at the same time beneficial — or at least not 

 detrimental — to the conservation of other natural resources. 

 These practices include those that promote economy in water 

 use, or maintain the usability of water, or store water in 

 reservoirs from times of surplus until it is needed. Almost in- 

 variably these practices involve cost in equipment, labor, or 

 time to the water user or to the public. Such water-conserva- 



