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<br />.28. <br /> <br />I <br />amendments to the present law" by Inter-state Agreements or by decisions <br />of the Supreme (::ourt of the United States. Colorado nOVJ has seven (7/) <br />Inter-state Compacts covering the use of the waters of the major 'stream <br />systems of the State. Inter-state uses of the \'Jaters of all others are <br />controlled by three decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States. <br /> <br />., <br /> <br />The present organization of the Division of Hater Resources "con- <br />sists of the State Engineer, a principal Deputy State Engineer, three <br />Special Deputies, Seven Division Engineers, one hundred fourteen Water <br />Commissioners and Deputies, a Chief Hydrographer and five hyd0ographers, <br />two stenographers and an accountant. ' <br /> <br />The office maintains, in cooperation with the United States Geo- <br />logical Survey and other Federal Agencies, three hundred eight stream- <br />gaging stations throughout the State, practically all of which are <br />equipped with automatic recording devices. In this connection, the <br />hydrographic branch of the office makes many thousands of measurements <br />each. year of stream discharges and voluminous computations showing the <br />daily flmm thereof. It is also required to calibrate from time to <br />time the measuring devices in thousands of ditches throughout the State. <br />In this connection, the State Engineer is authorized by law to require <br />that all canals and ditches, or any other facilities used for diverting <br />water out of the public streams, maintain properheadgates and measuring <br />devices and also automatic recorders, if need be, and for failure to .do <br />so, he is authorized to prevent diversions of water by such agencies. <br /> <br />/' An important improvement in administrative procedure in recent <br />years has resulted largely from the use of the Parshall measuring flume <br />which now has wide recognition and use as the most practical and accurate <br />device for the measurement of water, especially under conditions with <br />which the yater officials are confronted. The advent of the automatic <br />recorder and, more recently, means for transmitting currently, record~. <br />therefrom, to the administrative officials and the management of canals', <br />ditcpes and reservoirs, has greatly improved the administration of our <br />water supplies and has eliminated many former controversies bet>leen <br />>later. users and the water officials. <br /> <br />/ U)1cter the Act of 1879, a reservoir \<Tas accorded the right to store <br />any unappropriated \<Tater rtot then needed for immediate use for dome~tic <br />or irrigation purposes. This provision of la\<T was so administered by the <br />water officials until the Supreme Court in the case of Park Reservoir vs. <br />Hinderlider in 1935, held that it violated, the superior provisions of the <br />Constitution relating to the Doctrine of Priority of Appropriation and <br />Use. <br /> <br />The law of 1879 and Amendments thereto, authorizing the use of the <br />natural stream channels for conveying stored water to lower points of <br />diversion, provide that the State Engineer shall determine the amount of <br />losses in transit. Due to the many variable, conditions which control <br />such losses", this requirement has raised many difficult problems. of ad- <br />minis;tration. / <br />/ <br /> <br />. <br />. <br /> <br />Many years ago, the Legislature enacted a law creating an Irriga- <br />tion and a Storage season. This Act was later referred to the People, <br />