Rural Water - Quarter 2, 2008 - (Page 15) Note: The following article is written from a Utah perspective. While some of the issues discussed will apply to other Western states, it should not be assumed that all of them will. Irrigation Water vs. Drinking WaterBY DALE F. PIERSON, RWAU EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THE IMAGE OF the battle for Western water being fought with the barrel of a gun, swinging farm implements and bare fists, although sometimes factual, has far more to do with the image of the wild and wooly West than actual fact. Even though every area of the West seems to have its legend of swinging shovels or shotgun blasts at the irrigation head-gate, it is far more likely for those battles to be fought in a court of law or in the halls of the state Legislature. Second Quarter 2008 • 15 © Phdpsx | Dreamstime.com From the moment the farming of Western cities tended to be built in proximity to transland began, a new system of assigning water portation corridors (which included but were not ownership had to be developed to solve dis- necessarily rivers), Western cities grew where putes. The system that evolved was vastly dif- water was available, and the transportation corferent from that used in the Eastern portion of ridors followed the availability of water. Early water development was also primarily dependent the nation, where water is plentiful. Two basic concepts underlie most Western wa- upon surface water sources and free-flowing ter law: 1. “First in Time – First in Right,” which springs. It would not be until the development means that the first user of a water source has of the centrifugal turbine pump motor and the established a first priority to the water and that ready availability of power supplies that >>16 all users coming after may only use the amount available after that first right is “The first thing the pioneers did fulfilled, and 2. “The Doctrine of Beneficial Use,” which requires that the water when they entered the Salt Lake user, no matter what his priority, may only use the amount necessary for his Valley wasn’t to build a road or domestic or agricultural needs and must build a school. The first thing they actually use the water. Unlike Eastern water development, a water user might, did was dam up City Creek and start through the use of ditches or pipelines, use the water in a location far from the digging ditches.” actual source of the water. fi Bob Morgan, former director, The development of cities and towns Utah Department of Natural Resources in the intermountain West was tied to the availability of water. While Eastern ©C-foto and Jennyhorne/Dreamstime.com
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