41-3-325. Excess stored water to be furnished applicants; preferences; rates.

The owner or owners of a reservoir impounding a greater quantity of water than the owner or owners thereof necessarily use for irrigation and other beneficial purposes in connection with their own lands shall, when application is made to them for that purpose, furnish such surplus water at reasonable rates to the owners of lands lying under and capable of being irrigated from such reservoir for the purpose of irrigating and rendering the same productive, and maintaining their productiveness, and in case of refusal so to do, the owner or owners of such reservoir may be compelled by proper proceedings to furnish such water on such reasonable terms as to the court may seem meet and proper. The water user who may have used any water from such reservoir for any particular year shall have the preference as to the use of the same water for the next ensuing year. The state engineer, the water commissioner of the particular district and the water superintendent having jurisdiction over the region of any reservoir, shall together constitute a board of special commissioners, and shall have power, when application is made to them by either party interested, to establish reasonable maximum rates to be charged for the use of water from any reservoir, whether furnished by individuals or a corporation. The establishment of such rate shall be made only after notice given and public hearing had, at which hearing the applicants may produce witnesses and evidence, and such witnesses must be sworn and may be cross-examined. No commissioner shall sit upon such board and determine such rate who is employed by one (1) of the applicants or if the relationship of debtor or creditor exists between him and one (1) of the applicants. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to deny the right to store water for use for more than one (1) year.