State Certification and Dam Supervision

State Certification and Dam Supervision Little Known Functions of the State Engineer's Office

THE STATE Highway Engineer of Arizona is not generally known as the State Engineer, but he has two official functions under the latter title. One of these duties consists of making all engineering determinations for the State Certification Board, the membership of which, besides the State Engineer, includes the Attorney General and the Superintendent of Banks. Another and more exacting requirement of the State Engineer demands that he supervise all dams in the state, in order to protect the public against failures of such structures. All existing dams are under the jurisdiction of the State Engineer, and all new structures are to be built under his direct supervision. This brief article will attempt to acquaint the public with these two relatively unknown duties of the Arizona Highway Engineer.

When an irrigation district is organized under existing State Laws, it must satisfy a number of legal requirements before it becomes eligible to secure money through the sale of its bonds. It should be understood first that an irrigation district is similar in many respects to a municipality, and in fact is considered a political subdivision of the state. Accordingly, a district is not compelled to pay taxes on its irrigation works or kindred property. It is required, however, to collect its assessments through the county treasurer's office, just as taxes on real property are collected. Laws have been made to govern the actions of an irrigation district, in the same manner as other laws define the permissible acts of other political subdivisions, such as school districts.

Organization proceedings of irrigation districts are carried out under the direction of the county board of super visors of the county in which the district lands are situated. It is particularly worthy of note in this regard that the acreage of the district is fixed by the supervisors. The State Certification Board has objected to this procedure, because there is danger of rough lands, or lands having poor soil conditions getting into the district. There is a further danger that a greater acreage will be included than can be irrigated with the available water supply. Since the county supervisors are not required, nor provided with funds to make detailed investigations of soil conditions and water supplies, it is evident that irrigation districts might easily be organized improperly. When a certin tract of land is once included within a district, it is particularly difficult to have it removed. Accordingly, the Certification Board recommends that detailed studies be made by some responsible governmental agency before the organization of the district is approved.

getting into the district. There is a further danger that a greater acreage will be included than can be irrigated with the available water supply. Since the county supervisors are not required, nor provided with funds to make detailed investigations of soil conditions and water supplies, it is evident that irrigation districts might easily be organized improperly. When a certin tract of land is once included within a district, it is particularly difficult to have it removed. Accordingly, the Certification Board recommends that detailed studies be made by some responsible governmental agency before the organization of the district is approved.

Irrigation districts come before the State Certification Board when they desire to secure approval of bond issues for the construction of an irrigation system, or for the purchase of an exist-ing system. In either event the proced-ure is the same, as far as the Certifica-tion Board is concerned. When the Board was originally set up, it was con-ntemplated that the State Highway En-gineer perform all engineering func-tions, that the Attorney General take care of legal matters and that the Super-intendent of Banks answer all questions pertaining to financial problems. As a rule, the State Engineer prepares a de-tailed report covering all engineering problems relating to the project. There are many essential features that must be investigated, chief among which are water supply, character of the soil, sur-face and sub-surface drainage, designs for irrigation structures, estimates of cost for the construction of the project, and estimates of cost for maintenance and operation of the completed project. Stated another way, the State Engineer must determine the feasibility of the project, and decide whether the district may reasonably be expected to meet assessments for bond interest, bond re-demption, and maintenance and opera-tion as they fall due. The problem is one that has many unknown factors, and cannot be solved except after a most detailed and thorough analysis. This report is usually the basis upon which the State Certification Board approves or rejects the proposed bond issue.If the State Certification Board ap-proves the district's application for a bond issue, the matter is then referred to the landowners for their approval or disapproval. Usually, this is only a perfunctory step, because the district officials express the sentiment of the landowners when the request is tirst made to the Certification Board for ap-proval of a bond issue. Following ap-proval by the landowners, an application is presented to the State Certification Board for certification of the bonds. An investigation is then made by the Board to determine the amount of taxes that are levied against district lands, and the ratio that the proposed bond issue will bear to market value of the lands plus the value of irrigation works to be installed with bond proceeds. If these findings meet the requirements set forth in the law, the Board directs

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