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<br />OJiJ,lJb <br /> <br />35 <br /> <br />Summary of Court Case No. 3345 <br /> <br />Sunnyside Bark Ditch vs M. S. Hinderllder, State Engineer; <br />C. W. Beach, Division No.2 Engineer; and J. A. Burnett, <br />Water Commissioner, Water District No. II. <br /> <br />The court .case of Sunnyside Park Ditch vs. M. C. Hinderllder, et al was <br />an Important case for Colorado water administration, establishing a precedent <br />on the questions of storage rights versus direct flow rights. The judgment <br />and decrees Issued by the Court in this case have been the basis for admin- <br />istration of the Arkansas River in Colorado for the past twenty years. Fol- <br />lowing is a summary of the events which took place in this case. <br /> <br />The case began in the summer of 1944 with four hearings without jury be- <br />fore Judge Joseph D. Blunt in Sallda, .Co)orado. The hearings lasted until <br />August l2, 1944 with the judgment and decrees being made On April 16, 1945. <br /> <br />There were five specific ~omplaints made by the plaintiff; four of these <br />were upheld and one was rejected by the Court. A description of these com- <br />pIa I nts fo 11 ows: <br /> <br />(a) '7he rights of the plaintiff and others similarly situated to have <br />the conditions on the stream maintained as they existed at the time <br />plaintiff's appropriations were made, as set forth in the First <br />Cau~e of Action." The plaintiff felt that administration proced- <br />ures in Water Districts 14, 17 and 67 were improper, causing short- <br />ages in districts 11 and 12. The Court rejected this complaint, <br />stating that the evidence does not show any Improper administration <br />procedure on the part of the defendents. <br /> <br />(b) "The failure of defendents to make a proper and accurate charge, or <br />any charge, as a matter of fact, for loss by evaporation and other <br />causes, to the reservoirs involved In this action, to-wit: Sugar <br />loaf, Twin lakes and Clear Creek." <br /> <br />(c) '7he failure of the defendents to enforce the law in the adminis- <br />tration of the aforesaid reservoirs by permitting Illegal storage, <br />and by failure to install proper measuring devices on the inflow <br />streams of said reservoirs, and by permitting the reservoir com- <br />panies to take credIt for more water than actually enters their <br />reservoirs in the trans-mountain diversions." <br /> <br />(d) "By faIlure to make any charges for losses occasioned by evaporation <br />seepage and other causes In the trans-mountain diversions." <br /> <br />(e) "By failure to make proper, sufficient and accurate charges for <br />losses by way of seepage, evaporation and other causes of the <br />waters In transit from the reservoirs to the ditches and canals <br />located In Water Districts 14, 17 and 67." <br />