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<br />001511 <br /> <br />IrrigatioD practioes <br /> <br />Irrigation within the area is aocomplishedby direct <br />diversions. There are no storage i'aoi11ties. Headga:tes are opened <br />as soon as the early spring runoff' eemmences,j but have to be closed <br />down as soon as prior rights downstream demand the water. A :rew oi' <br />the older rights usually have water as long .&s they want it. Ditohes; <br />suoh as the Bowen Ditoh with an 1888 right an foroed to close their <br />headgates before the water users. have been sati.sfied. <br />The Water Oommissioner stated that. the Bowen Ditoh.. the <br />largest ditoh 01'1 Ohalk Oreek lUld serving ab0ut 12 operators.. ina <br />normal :rear had water 0Dly until about June 15th. During 1939 and <br />1940.. onl:r enough water was run in the Bowen Ditoh for stook and <br />domestio purposes. <br /> <br />Water rights <br /> <br />Aooording te records in the Otfioe 01' the State Engineer.. <br />there are 13 ditohes with direot diversi0n rights on Ohalk Oreek. <br />Total amount deoreed :1.8150." seoond_feet. (See tabulation, last <br />page of this report.) 01' this it is reported that two ditohes.. <br />deoreed for a total of 15.5 second-feet, have not been in use during <br />reoent years. Another ditoh.. the Ohalk Oreek: Mill Ditoh.. is; deoreed <br />for 16.0 seoond-feet of whioh only about 4.0 second-feet are ever <br />diverlled. <br /> <br />The oldest deoree dates baok to 1867. Any rights dating <br />a1'ter 1884 suffer water shortages even in a normal :rear. Nine of the <br />1;$ ditohes are dated after 188l\! with deoreed SlIIounts tota.lling 119.5' <br /> <br />..6.. <br /> <br />~ )"l <br />