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The Amity Mutual Irrigation Company 152:> Accordmg to an anaIysis made by the Attorney for the Arkansas Valley Ditch Association: The Fellhauer well was located 400 feet from the river. It pumped 800 g-.Uans per minute or about 3 1/2 aJ. per day. It was used 150 to 180 days per year. The court found among other tl1ings--That the State Engineer had authority to act; That the well was hydrologically connected to the Arkansas river, and that it had an immediate affect on the surface now, and that shutting it down would provide substantially increased water COl" sunace appropriators, and that the 1965 law (House Bill 1066) was not ani.}' con- stitutional, but clear in instructions to the State Engineer. Wh.ether the Felhauer case is carried. \.0 th<e Sup.r-eme: Court or the legislature revises the 1965 statute, there is need (or much more in- formation on the movement of underground water and the affect pumping has on the stream in particular localities on the river. Because of the confusion over the authority granted by prior ground water laws and the constitutional declaration that all waters flowing in the State, including percolating and seeping water belongs to the State and are subject to appropriation, a better understanding oC the relation between surface use and pumping must be arrived at if the full use of this valued asset is to be made. Information is being gathered regularl~y by the D.S.G.S. on the under- ground water table as it is affected by river flow, and on the movement of underground water in river basin. A rash of Bill s a!Cecting water and water rights are being considered in the present legislatur~_One Bill(Senate #3) would require appropriators to use ever,}' possible means of obtaining water to satisf.)' their decrees, in- clUding use of pumps before calling on more junior appropriators. 'This would put most of the ditches in the pumping business and a mad scramble to find water. Such legislation is inclined to put a greater burden on ditches lower down on the river, and if water is found to supply their appropriation there is the question of cost, and the affect of such wate:a:- would have on the soil, and production of crops because of salts and minerals contained in the underground water. More information of legislative action will be available at the time of our meeting. Drainage to the Amit,y from the irrigated section north of Lamar continues to be a serious problem. .Man made ditches, enlarged over the .years conduct runoff from storms ver,}' quickly to the Amity canal and cause spills at run oCf sections or breaks if the storm is severe. Cleaning tile canal through this section may help some but capacit,y is usually restricted at bridges and roads, No satisfactory solution has been pre- sented. This problem concerns not onl,ythe Amity but Highwa,r Department County Commissioners, Drainage boards and adjacent land owners: A report of the Army En,g-ineers on their surve,}' for flood control on the Arkansas river below John Martin Reservoir is due soon. The Amity is especially interested in any structures that might be recommended on Mud and Caddo!! ~r~eks tha~ would change or conserve runoff from these creeks. Our pnor.ltIes on BIg Sand.>' make us concerned with this stream. PageS