Guardians of Irrigation

Guardians of Irrigation Some Notes on the Functions of a Little-known State Department

IN ORDER to utilize our water resources to the greatest benefit and to protect both public and private interests mutual to same, some form of regulation must be exercised.

Laws pertaining to the use of water for irrigation; development of power, and municipal water supply are made by the state legislature, and administered through some departmental office. The “Department of State Certification and Dam Control” in Arizona has been created to function in this capacity.

The duties of the board and department are separate in many instances, but the utilization of water for irrigation through construction of a storage dam will call for approval of both departments. The work is so related that one office probably functions better than two.

State laws require that all bonds issued by irrigation districts must be certified by the state certification board before they can become legal investments, for banks and trust companies to secure monies of the state. A very comprehensive study of the assets of the district must be placed before the board before it can certify as to the feasibility of the project, both economically and physically. Investigations necessary are carried out by the engineer of the certification and dam control department. Value and type of crops, amount and quality of water, texture and chemical analysis of soil, assessed valuation of land, yearly taxes, assessments, previous indebtedness, value of improvements, plans and specifications are factors that must be considered previous to any action of the certification board. Some of these items involve considerable investigation of old records and the making of many physical tests by the state laboratory.

The primary interest of the state in the control and supervision of dams is protection of life and property. After these conditions are fulfilled the economics and(Continued on Page 24)