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<br />002985 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Water Code was adopted in 1919. Responsibility for administration <br />of the Water Code rests in the state Land Department acting <br />through the State Land Commissioner. The Arizona State Ground <br />Water Code was enacted in 1945. Responsibility for the adminis- <br />tration of this Code also is assigned to the State Land Commission- <br />er. <br /> <br />In general the State Land Department is responsible for the <br />control and administration of the surface and ground waters of the <br />State. When rights to the use of water or dates of appropriation <br />have been determined in a judgment or decree of a court, the State <br />Land Department must accept the deter>minations so made. <br /> <br />The Land Department issues water rights and has functions <br />connected with resources development including soil conservation <br />districts, flood control districts, irrigation districts and water- <br />shed management. The department is the pr>incipal contracting <br />agency in connection with the many cooperative programs and studies <br />respecting intr>astate waters, in which the State participates. ' <br />outstanding among such programs is the Watershed Management Pro- <br />gram, involving watershed research and pilot projects. In this <br />work the Department cooperates with several Federal agencies, with <br />local irrigation interests, and with other watershed users. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />While the Land Department has authority to make studies and <br />investigations in connection with the water resources of the State, <br />adequate funds have not been made available for any substantial <br />activity of this nature by the Department for many years, except <br />for watershed management and cooperative agreements as previously <br />noted. <br /> <br />~~ <br />