Missouri Revised Statutes Title XIV. Roads and Waterways § 236.280. Right to divert stream through tunnel--conditions

Any person or persons, firm or firms, corporation or corporations, owning lands extending across the neck of any bend in any of the rivers of this state where a tunnel through such bends would create a waterfall to create electric power, that such owner or owners shall have the right to tunnel through such bends in such neck, on his or their or its own land or lands, and take up and divert and transmit and use the waters of said river (leaving enough water in said river at the point where said diversion shall be made to meet the wants of stock and the families below such point of diversion), and use the waters so diverted to create electric power for transmission and sale to the public, and then return such waters to said river again, without the consent of the riparian owners thereof owning shore lands on the inside and outside of said bend, between the intake and output points of said tunnel, by the use of the usual condemnation proceedings in the circuit court of the county of this state in which said lands, or a part thereof, are, or may be situated, to ascertain and establish the damage that will accrue to such owner or owners of said riparian rights by reason of the use and license aforesaid, and after this has been established and decreed, and that the judgment so awarded shall be paid before diverting and using said waters.