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<br /> <br />It':t..'1:'{f :?}-~~ff:~-&~g:t~-';:.~~ ~:.:.s.~;.}~~ 'I ,.~~ ~'-": <br /> <br /> <br />000707 <br /> <br />* * * <br /> <br />Of course, the relevant considerations stated in cases concerning <br />rights to water must be adapted to this new context. Nevertheless, <br />the general principles apply. I would direct the Master to consider <br />a range of factors including, but not limited to, the harm that must <br />be incurred by Oregon and Washington in terms of harvest forgone <br />in order to allow a given number of fish to reach Idaho, cf. <br />Nebraska v. Wyoming, supra (considering the loss of water in <br />transit); the contribution of each State to preservation of the habitat <br />necessary for spawning; the contribution of each State to the <br />preservation of the proper habitat necessary for the survival and <br />development of fish during passage; the investment of each State <br />in programs to mitigate losses and enhance the runs, such as <br />hatcheries and transportation programs. <br /> <br />0- ~'.'_:';.:i <br /> <br />Most recently, the Court concluded in Nebraska v. Wyoming, 515 U.S. 1, 11-13 (1995), that it is~:t <br />clearly appropriate in an equitable apportionment case to consider evidence of impacts of an:J <br />upstream state's proposed actions on downstream "wildlife and wildlife habitat" and related;;\;~ <br />"environmental injury:" .. C. <br /> <br />Wyoming's second exception takes issue with the Master's stated <br />intention to consider a broad array of downstream interests in <br />passing on Nebraska's claims, and to hear evidence of injury not <br />only to downstream irrigators, but also to wildlife and wildlife <br />habitat. ...' <br /> <br />Consideration of this evidence, Wyoming argues, would run <br />counter to our denial of two earlier motions to amend filed by <br />Nebraska. . . by which it expressly sought modification of the <br />decree to make Wyoming and Colorado share the burden of <br />providing instream flows necessary to preserve critical wildlife <br />habitat, and . . . an apportionment of nonirrigation-season flows. <br />Wyoming also suggests that allegations of injury to wildlife are as <br />yet purely speculative and would be best left to other forums. <br /> <br />Wyoming's arguments are not persuasive. To assign an affirmative <br />obligation to protect wildlife is one thing; to consider all <br />'downstream effects of upstream development when 'assessing <br />threats to equitable apportionment is quite another. As we have <br />discussed above, Nebraska II makes it clear that modification of <br />the decree (as by enjoining developments on tributaries) will follow <br />only upon a "balancing of e'quities," . . . and that Nebraska will <br />have to make a showing of "substantial injury" before we will grant <br />it such relief. ... There is no warrant for placing entire categories <br />of evidence beyond Nebraska's reach when it attempts to satisfy <br />this burden, which is far from insignificant. <br /> <br />Nor does our resistance to Nebraska's efforts to bring about broad <br /> <br />308 <br />