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<br />r - - - Riltlt-of-way
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<br />I A very important property right victory
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<br />Late last year the Federal District Court for
<br />the District of Colorado 'ruled lhat con-
<br />trary to Forest Service claims. the Forest
<br />Service does not have the authorir\' to "regu-
<br />late" ditch and reservoir rights-of.,;'ays out of
<br />existence through a Federal Land Policy and
<br />Managemenl ACI (FLPMA) easement.
<br />In a case emitled Overland Ditch
<br />and Reservoir Company v. United
<br />States of America: the Uniled Slales
<br />Forest Sen;ce, Federal District Judge
<br />Nottingham ruled lhat lhe Overland
<br />Ditch and Reservoir Company's
<br />rights under the 1891 Riohl-of War
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<br />Act were pr~sC:f\'c:d ag.ainst Forest
<br />Service cI3ims. The Forest Service as-
<br />sened. lhatlhe Company could only
<br />get a nghl-of-wav across federal lands
<br />if the For"'t Se;';ce hacceptcd" the
<br />right-or-way, ..'
<br />Karen Budd-FaJen
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<br />BY KAREN BUDD-FALEN AND
<br />MICHAEL G, WEISZ
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<br />and the special use permit no Iongt:r has
<br />any effect.
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<br />By-pass Ilows
<br />This case is "ery important to private individu-
<br />als. companies or ciric:s and towns whose water
<br />S\'stems lie on or cross feddallands First. the
<br />Forest Service cannot condition an 18660r 1891
<br />right-of-way with a by-pass now. By-pass now,
<br />are those water rights thaI are lefl in a ditch Or
<br />stream \\'hich cannot be used for con-
<br />sumpti\'e uses. such as residential Or
<br />agricultural use or irrigation.
<br />.. The Forest Service and numerous
<br />environmental groups have been al-
<br />lempling. bOlh through the courts
<br />and through Congress. 10 mandate
<br />that ditch and rcsc:"rvoir owners with
<br />SVSle:ms on the: federal bnds kllVl.
<br />part of lheir waler rights in lh"
<br />Slream or ditch, Although the Forest
<br />Sc:rvice m.a\' he able: to' condition a
<br />speci;d U$.... permit gr~n(ec.i unue:r
<br />FLPMA with hy-pa" flows. the
<br />agenc)' c.lnnot place that require-
<br />ment on a 1866 or 1891 right-of-w"y.
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<br />Vested right-aI-way
<br />In a case that is critical to any ditch and reser.
<br />voir company whose system lies on the fed-
<br />erallands.the Court said lhat the vesling of"
<br />right-of-way under the 1891 or 1866 Right-of-
<br />Way Acts occurred upon compliance with the
<br />federal statute.~nd not with an acceptance by
<br />lhe Forest Semce.
<br />ThUs. although neither the Forcst Service
<br />nor lhe Bureau of Land
<br />Manacement had not of-
<br />ficiaUi'''accepted'' a map
<br />of the diteh and reservoir
<br />S\'Stem filed in 1949, lhe
<br />f~ct that the re$crvoir
<br />and dilCh company had
<br />acquired water rights
<br />and initiated construc-
<br />tion of the system prior
<br />to the establishment of
<br />the Forest Reserve gave
<br />the Company a perma-
<br />nent right-of. way across
<br />Forest Service lands
<br />The Court also dis-
<br />32reed with the Forest
<br />Service's argument that
<br />the existence of a special
<br />use permit for con-
<br />struction of the svstem
<br />also eliminated the
<br />Company's 1866 or
<br />1891 Act rights,
<br />AccorG-ing 10 Ihe
<br />Court. the sptcial use permit aU.lhorizl.:d
<br />construction of the system so th<Jt the pri-
<br />vate individual or campan\' would not be
<br />in trespass while building th~ svslcm.
<br />Hoy,:(;vl:r. once the S\'Sl~m W,:lS con-
<br />structed. the 1891 or 1866 Act ridt!> vest
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<br />-'(it,,5 Ci.....:CI: GJt::A
<br />.1_ ,_ I.L t.J ,4.<
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<br />, " Ditci!e!ij and.'~",
<br />reservoirs authorized'
<br />under the,'1891 or "
<br />18'66R{ght~of-WayAct
<br />are permanent .' ,,'
<br />':: ,;,. ,~,::: '. .,-,':r:/:..OJ~ ~..:-..~,~J";, -::~~,.--='i s.~ .,:1;",
<br />,'". prop'ei;tJi.:Tlghtt the~~,';
<br />:i~,;3~',,@t!l:""'S;"'1i.~~(ift'~'
<br />'ror.es f. er.Vlce'cafJno ,'i;
<br />:, ',.. , M."':""",.;"" ,"'...',....,o;..~':I..:..,.5#<.,..~...:,'9~..,.,.
<br />,.", /imit'thefr'use'-Cifu,
<br />"take"them
<br />without due process
<br />and payment of just
<br />compensation.
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<br />42 Colorado Rancher and Farmer March 19;7
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<br />Easements vs. property
<br />Second. the.: Forest Service h<IS hccn push.
<br />ing compa'nics and individuals to relinquish
<br />their 1891 or 1866 richts in f",'or of"
<br />FLPMA or Ditch Bill easement. This is "h-
<br />solutcly ill-advised if the company ean prove
<br />lhe existence of its 1891 or 1866 rights,
<br />Dilches and reservoirs aUlhorized under the
<br />1891 or 1866 ACI are a permanent property
<br />right: the Forest Service cannot limit their
<br />use or "lake" lhem without due process and
<br />payment of just compensation,
<br />While a Ditch Bill easement is better thar.
<br />a special use permit. those with a Ditch Bili
<br />easement are required by law to give up lhcir
<br />private property 1891 or 1866 rightsAddition-
<br />ally. under eertain conditions the Forest Ser-
<br />vice may be able to condition Ditch Bill ease-
<br />ments with by-pass nows or may be able to
<br />cancel lhe Ditch Bill easement if the water is
<br />used for something different than originallv
<br />intended, - - .
<br />With 1891 or 1866 ri~hts. the right to use
<br />the system is a property-right and ~annot be
<br />regulated by the federal government.Thus. this
<br />is a very important propcrry right victory, sup.
<br />porting the existence of a split-estate right in
<br />the federal lands
<br />It is not known whether the Justice Depart-
<br />ment will appeal this case.
<br />'"The QffornC?ys represc!lliltg lhe Ol'(!r/alld
<br />Ditch and ReJ"('fI'oir Camp allY arc the all'
<br />Ihors, Kar~1l Budd-FafC!/l alld Miclwe! G,
<br />Weisz of Budd.Falen LaK' Office". PC il/
<br />Cheyenne, H'yo.. alung H'it/r To I1Y (;
<br />Bumlwrga of Bllmha'ga Lall' Ofrices 1Il
<br />/!amilt.()/~ /'.fUIlf, ,.:..
<br />w r,..tf<-~ ~ d<.- T~~>'
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<br />S'e' ili-.--<:" ",.."t
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