Administrative Control of Underground Water: Physical and Legal Aspects

Wells may be drilled in almost all valley areas of the United States with the expectation of securing sufficient water for household purposes and stock watering. Such supplies are of first importance in pioneer and farming communities, but are not of commercial importance. Neither legislative nor Court control of them has often been attempted. Usually it is only when supplies sufficient for irrigation, municipal, and industrial uses exist that engineering and law are involved. This paper deals only with the larger supplies. A large percentage of the major cities of the United States is supplied with water produced from wells and probably most of the smaller ones are similarly supplied.