Just outside of Trinidad,CO on the mesa there have been people shot and killed over stealing irrigation water.
My grandfather used to tell the story of him pulling one of his neighbors (who happened to be drunk) out of a ditch. The guy was apparently diverting water to his box.
Lots of stories of people stealing water. I would not have taken the water commissioner job for all the tea in china.
MFO
These may have been the stories my dad told us years ago. He was from the Branson Colorado area.