Problems in the Use of the Public District for Ground-Water Management

GROUND-WATER management is becoming an increasingly important subject of public concern. And the method of organizing this management activity is currently in a state of legislative and judicial flux.' Various forms of organization are being contemplated or are being tried out. For example, the Oregon legislature recently passed a state ground-water management act giving the state engineer a wide range of management power.~ Texas, on the other hand, provides enabling legislation for people in local areas to organize ground-water management districts.3 In California public districts are in use,4 and the court reference procedure is used as a means for managing ground water by rationing in accordance with safe yield. 5 Because of this interest, it seems appropriate to examine certain problems relating to the public district as a form for organizing group action for groundwater management.