THE WESTERN FARMER 's WATER RIGHT. 13 
rights or to contract to supply water, shall apply to the commis- 
sion for a permit. If the commission, after investigation, finds 
that it is likely that there will not be sufficient water, or that the 
proposed contracts or terms of sale are not fair, it is to refuse permits. 
Persons thinking of buying irrigated land in Montana should apply 
to this commission, at Helena, for information as to the water rights 
and water supply of the parties offering land for sale. 
DISTRIBUTION OF WATER. 
DISTRIBUTION OF WATER FROM STREAMS. 
Water from streams is distributed to canals in accordance with 
their rights by public officials, usually called water commissioners. 
Each commisioner has charge of the water within a certain district. 
He has a list of the rights showing amounts, dates, and locations, and 
distributes the water accordingly. In most States commissioners 
control diversions only when called upon by water users. When 
there is water enough for all each takes it as he pleases. In the more 
highly developed communities commissioners are on duty most of 
the time. Interference with the work of a water commissioner, by 
changing gates set by him, is a misdemeanor in most States. 
DISTRIBUTION OF WATER FROM CANALS. 
The method of distributing water adopted under any canal system 
has much to do with the value of its rights to farmers, as it has a 
large influence on the economy with which they can use not only 
their water supply but also their time. In many instances the regu- 
lations under which water is distributed have more practical effect 
than the terms of contracts under which rights are acquired. Three 
systems of distributing water from canals are in common use: In 
continuous flowj in rotation; and on demand. 
Contracts or agreements under which rights are purchased usually 
provide either for the delivery of a stream of a given size continu- 
ously throughout the irrigating season or for the delivery of a cer- 
tain quantity or depth of water on the land per season j and in many 
instances where contracts call for continuous delivery, water is, in 
fact, delivered in rotation. In only a few instances is water delivered 
on demand. 
Delivery in continuous flow is the oldest system, but is giving 
place to rotation. The size of the stream delivered depends on the 
acreage, a common ratio being 1 cubic foot per second for 80 acres. 
Under this system the farmer with a few acres gets a very small 
stream, while the one with a large acreage gets a large stream. This 
system has several serious disadvantages. Small streams can not be 
