The Bureaucratic Battle for the Yakima Valley’s Water
Federal engineers issue an ultimatum: clear the state’s land claims or lose government irrigation for the entire region.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Chief Engineer Newell of the Reclamation Service stated that the Yakima Valley offers the best field in Washington for government irrigation. However, two obstacles remain: the claims of current water users and the state's claim on 'Carey lands' in the lower valley. Newell warned that if the state's land selections are approved, the Reclamation Service will retire from the field at once. Congressman W. L. Jones advised local residents to pressure State Land Commissioner Ross and the governor to defeat these claims, asserting that the government's investment is contingent upon clearing these administrative hurdles.
“Get after State Land Commissioner Ross and the governor.”
The control of irrigation and land rights remains a flashpoint in Eastern Washington, mirroring today's ongoing debates over water rights, tribal sovereignty, and the management of regional water resources in an increasingly arid climate.
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