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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />was =eated, it is reasonable to conclude that the United states in- <br />tended to resexve the necessary water. HcMever, the Court went on to <br />dete:rmine that "where water is only valuable for a secordary use of the <br />reservation, there arises the contrary inference that Congress interrled, <br />consistent with its other views, that the United States would acquire <br />water in the same II\3!lIler as any other public or private appropriator." 80/ <br />In other \>Drds, except in the case of reserved rights to cany out the - <br />primary purpose of the reservation, the Court detennined that federal <br />agencies are to acquire water for other conjressionally authorized uses <br />pursuant to state laws, like any other appropriator. <br /> <br />The Solicitor's Opinion suggests that the Court rray have been re <br />ferring to rrere a:rnpliance with state procedures, rather than with <br />pr=edural and substantive state water law. HCMever, an objective <br />reading of the language of the Court in context makes it clear that the <br />Suprene Court interrled a:rnpliance with both substantive and procedural <br />state laws. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />In the sentence :inm2diately following the Court's conclusion that <br />the governrrent, with the exception of resezyed rights, \>Duld acquire <br />water in the same rranner as any other public or private appropriator the <br />Court stated that "Congress indeed has appropriated funds for the <br />acquisition urrler state law of water to J:e used on federal reser- <br />vations." 81/ [emphasis added] The Court then cited an example in the <br />National Parks Act where, " Congress authorized appropriations for the <br />"invest[i]gation and establishment of water rights in accordance with <br />local custom, law, and decisions of courts, including the acquisition of <br />water rights or of lands or of interest in lards or rights-of-vlaY for <br />use and protection of water rights necessary or beneficial in the <br />administration and public use of the national parks and rronurrents." 82/ <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Again in supporting its earlier conclusion, the Supreme COurt <br />referred to the fact that "the agencies responsible for administering <br />the federal reservations have also recognized Congress' intent to <br />acquire un:J.er state law any water not essential to the specific purposes <br />of the reservation." [emphasis added] 83/ <br /> <br />MJreover, a distinction betv.Ben procedure an:l substance with <br />respect to the appropriative d=trine is conceptually untenable. The <br />pr=edures by which an in::lividual acquires an appropriative water right <br />consists of a pennit which represents a state detennination that the <br />water will be used for "beneficial" purposes. This right is <br />inherently limited by the duty, usually found in the corrlitions in the <br />pennit, to stop using water when its use ceases to be "beneficial." 84/ <br />Substantive rights can therefore only be acquired by follCMing specified <br />procedures, ard in folla.ving successfully these pr=edures, substantive <br />obligations are impJsed related to beneficial use. Thus, requiring <br />federal agencies to a:rnply with state "pr=edures," but not substantive <br />water law \>Duld J:e entirely inconjruent with state systens for all=atin;r <br />water in the West. 85/ <br /> <br />That the Congress intended no such result in the New Mexico case <br />is also clear fran the decision which was issued on the same day in . <br />United States v. California. 86/ The Court in the California case <br />rejected a similar argument that Section 8 of the 1902 Reclamation Act <br />merely required the Secretary of Interior to file a notice with the <br />states of its intent to appropriate and to thereafter ignore the substantive <br /> <br />-12- <br /> <br />^^ <br />