Starley, Richard 1983-04-14
Judge Richard Starley discusses the settlement of water rights in the Pecos River drainage area.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Richard Starley
Additional Parties Recorded: None
Date: April 14, 1983
Location: Pecos, Texas
Interviewer: Richard Mason
Length: 2 hours 15 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Judge Starley,
Father,
Education,
Settlement in Barstow, Texas,
State irrigation legislation,
Subdivision for taxation,
Water Improvement Act (c. 1932),
Ward County Water Improvement District No. 1,
Red Bluff Water Power Control District (c. 1932),
Reluctance to form district,
Red Bluff reservoir,
Early attempts to organize Red Bluff,
Organization of Pecos County districts,
Prior conflicts relative to appropriation,
Red Bluff Water Power Control Act,
Red Bluff Reservoir (again),
Bond issue,
Construction,
Controversy,
Water diversion,
Mexico,
New Mexico,
Dam closure (c. 1936),
Filling of reservoir.
Tape 1, Side 2: Filling of reservoir (continued),
Modifications of Red Bluff Water Power Control Act,
Second filling of reservoir,
Texas-New Mexico agreement,
History of water rights in Western United States,
Kansas vs. Missouri,
Proposed compact,
Problems,
Supreme Court case,
Effect,
Starley’s father forecasted water problems,
Conflict: East vs. West Texans,
Political power,
Riparian vs. appropriation,
Texas tradition of land scheme (1889-1895),
Legislation of Texas water law.
Tape 2, Side 1: Legislation (continued),
Speculative interest,
Statewide adjudication,
Riparian vs. appropriation (again),
Development of appropriation laws,
Wells vs. H. G. N. Railway Company,
Ruling,
Effect on Pecos County irrigation,
Resulting litigation,
Attempts to regulate extraction of underground water,
(Background noise drowns out interview for approximately six minutes),
Attempts to regulate (continued),
Hydrology of Pecos drainage area.
Tape 2, Side 2: Hydrology of Pecos drainage (continued),
Lower Rio Grande Valley case (again),
Decision to take the case,
Background to the case,
Pre-trial session,
Trial,
Testimony,
Arguments,
Decision,
Appointment of new Water Master,
Appeal,
Interim problems,
Decision,
Central issue of case,
Amendment to Texas Constitution (Section 59, Article 16),
Cameron County water law.
Tape 3, Side 1: Cameron County water law (continued),
Background,
Court decision,
Mechanics of irrigation rights.
Tape 3, Side 2: Blank
Range Dates: 1889-1983
Bulk Dates: 1932-1983
Access Information
Original Recording Format:
Recording Format Notes:
Transcript:
Thank you for your interest in this oral history interview. Our oral history collection is available to patrons in the Southwest Collection's Reading Room, located on the campus of Texas Tech University. For reading room hours, visit our website. Please contact Reference Staff at least one week prior to your visit to ensure the oral history you are interested in will be available. Due to copyright issues, duplications of our oral histories can only be made for family members. If an oral history transcript has been made available online, the link will be provided on this page. More information on accessing our oral histories is located here. Preferred citation style can be found here.
