The Irrigation District Act of 1916'' (Irrigation Smith Act) authorized the federal government to serve as the guarantor of debt obligations entered into by local governments to finance the acquisition, extension, or operation of irrigation, drainage, and
flood control
Flood control methods are used to reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters."Flood Control", MSN Encarta, 2008 (see below: Further reading). Flood relief methods are used to reduce the effects of flood waters or high water level ...
projects or to develop power generation facilities or water resources.
It was sponsored by Senator
Hoke Smith
Michael Hoke Smith (September 2, 1855November 27, 1931) was an American attorney, politician, and newspaper owner who served as United States secretary of the interior (1893–1896), 58th governor of Georgia (1907–1909, 1911), and a United S ...
, Democrat of Georgia, a former Secretary of the Interior.
States had served localities in a similar fashion and provided the model for the federal legislation. California's Irrigation District Act dated from 1887 and Colorado's from 1905.
See also
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Canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow un ...
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Irrigation district
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List of canals in the United States
The following is a list of canals in the United States:
Transportation canals in operation
This list includes active canals and artificial waterways that are maintained for use by boats. While some abandoned canals and drainage canals have stret ...
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Water district
References
United States federal agriculture legislation
Irrigation Districts of the United States
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