|
<br />14
<br />
<br />FEDERAL WATER RIGHTS LEGISLATION
<br />
<br />FEDERAL WATER RIGHTS LEGISLATION
<br />
<br />15
<br />
<br />"For e:Enrnple. th(> Dr-!ll'rt Lnn" A~t. IUlllrn, nnlr 2:l.
<br />on For examples 8N' the nct~ or Mny 18. 1796, flee. f) (1 Btnt. 468\: June 1,1796. ,;ec27BO)(1
<br />Rtat. -19]) : ~I::lr. ':I. 180:1, Rce. 17 (2 Slnt. 235); nnd Mar. 26, 1M4. Bee. 6 (2 Stot. ;
<br />n(>d~('l(l ~tRtlltf'!l.. ReI'. 2H6 (1R7:'\). t 642)
<br />~. For exnmpi('!'I srI' the ndmlsslon nets ot I,ou\!;:clnnn (Fpb. 20. 1811. 1\('(", 3, 2 Sin. ;
<br />Alnhomn nrnr. '2. 'tRI\). flCC. fl, 3 Stnt. 4f12); Cnlltornln (:O:cpt. 9. IB:lO. f1f:C. ~. {I Slot.
<br />4i!'i:lI: l\Hnnellotl1 (Feb. 26, 1857, seC'. 2. 11 St.at. ]66); Dnd Ore.ll'on (Fcb. H. 1859. seC. 2.
<br />ll~~~~~;}~~)not all. tl,'" rnneh WnIl tnken 01lt of th('lle ~nnctments by a !le'l'I(!8 ot Rllpretne
<br />COllrt #1"1'1..100'1 In thl' In ler Jl:irt of the 19t1l centnry boldlllll' th/lt th('y did not Jlr(!;'f'(!nt
<br />the ~tntf'~' frf'm lIr('nslni: oh~trllctlons to navh:a.tlon In HI(' nlJ!,pnc~ of mor~ !'fl€CJnr. ('Oll-
<br />j!re<:<;\nllnl rf'j::'ulntlon of the m:ltter nnd tntlrontlnl: 'V€'ry Fltfom:l;o-. tt' not nctun1ly holdln!,:,
<br />thn.t III finv P'Vent the nrtml<:<<lon fit II. Rt:lt<' to the Union em un ('flllnl tootln,:: with the
<br />(l1rtf'f ~tnt';~ cif'prlvf'd the! F'l'fll'fnl lnw ot It.'! {'lTe('tJrpn('s~ !wJf'l'l' It wnf\ niJopted hOY the
<br />Rlate ('OIlf'('fIlCrl. For (>xflmplf'!I. Flf'e T:'1Ir'nnnlllJ "nd Lnkc Mlchf"nn, T,.alIIlPo,.tnfion o. v,
<br />C"frnl)fJ. 107 U,S, 6j~ C1~S:l): Cnrdlr:cll ,', Amt:r!cf'ln ~Iv<;r flr1dor: Co., 11:l U.SRR20~
<br />(1 <;<;"j) 'J/f1milloll 'V T"irJ..II'lTIra. fith,.r:l'cpo,.t anr1 Prrf::l!lc Rnll,.onrl Co., 119 U.S. 2::10 It ,6).
<br />H'~,~~ y' (;/fJl.rr. t1n.U,S.!'l4:l '(1:'lSO): Sandll v, Manfllrce ntur.r Improvement Co., ]2.'1 U.S.
<br />f'I'l.'1. 11<:''1.7) . Willnmrrre Iron Ill'jrlDc Co, v. Yntr11. 12:; U.~. 1 (laBS). The Court thllR. In
<br />;ir~ct I~rt t'h(> mnttl'f to 1>(> rf'l:ulatf'd hv ConR'rPFI!'I undef It!'! eomm{'rrp. c1nll!;r powrr It It
<br />..nw lit to _1~1'-1t Manv ot thl'!;f" ('(lftl':;!, it mn,v he noted, Qro,<:;~ out of ,StotE' nuthorb:ntlon8
<br />(or the con~lrll.cllon nr hrldges tl~rO!':fl no.vlJ:nhle wntC'rs nnd thll11 po!<ed the prohlem
<br />whethC'r th.. '!""ntionn' Oo'\'ernmpnt. wl!<hf.'d. fl.!'! ~ontended, to to.vor onl' methnd ot trnn!;pOr.
<br />tnt/Ill! to the {':'(clm:-f(lll or nnofhpr. In f'arIlc-r eM'f'!'!. the COllrt hnd bpen muC'h more CII.O.
<br />tlOllCl In It.. nrrrllnc!l to t1H~ mnttcr, For f':'(amph:>ll, fll'l'! Polrrrf"rl v. Haganr 3 How. 212
<br />(lR-Hl). hOlding thnt th~ provlp.lon In the Alnhnmn Admlfl!"lon A~~ thnt '1\11 nnvll:nble
<br />",.nlpr<< 'Within the !Onld Stnt~ flhoIl forevpr remain puhllc hh\"hwny". etc,. wnll not IIncon:
<br />Fltltntionnl but wnll. In ('rreet. nn E'Xer"Clflp. by Consrp,CI!'l f>r nil commpr('(' clRuse power.
<br />pt'llnIl11'f'f1ntn Y. Wht'f'lh1rJ an" lll"lmoftt nrilft1f1 00., 13 How. filS. l'i65 (lR51). holdlnK
<br />unln,,:flll n hrldll:e over the Ohln built tinder authority nt the Le~l'lllnture ot VI'l'~tlnlah"t
<br />contrnrv to thp IIct ot F('b, 4. HOl. 1 Stnt. 189, by wblch Conl!.'rell81!.'ftVe Its conllent 0 w ~
<br />the ("(lIlrt conlltrul'd 08 n c(lmpl\ct betwe~n Virginia and Kentucky at the tfm@otthelatfterll
<br />adml81lion to tbJ! Union declartng the Obto to be nUlgable and open to the free use 0 alL
<br />.... Ad nt May 20. 1~26, 4 Btat. 115. ) .. f
<br />"ct. :\ Rf:port ot tbe Pre"ldeot'. WB.~r RellOurce. PoJle7 Commmtoll (1950 , .
<br />"" Whf!.t. 1 U~24l.
<br />WI 12 Ro.w. 443 (lBri2l.
<br />
<br />r:,ised two of the Sa!"e eOllstitutional quest.ions on which the disposi-
<br />tion of t.hesc cases 11Inged aud on whieh furt.her Federal dC\.eloplIIcnt
<br />and regula.tion of navigable st.reams was hll'()"cly to t.urll.
<br />The Jil'st of these questions was whether thel::>l'cO'ulat.ion of commcrce
<br />which t.he Constitution entrusted to ConO'ress (~mbrilc('.d t.he l'eO'lda-
<br />tion of navigation. "'0 tuke it so much fo~ granted today t.hat itOdocs
<br />that we. arc apt to forgp.t t.hat t;here wns a time whell this question was
<br />one.wh}.ch could be argued sel'lo.l1sly .and st.rclluOl~sly. But it was not
<br />unt.d (T,1>1>01l8 v, Ogden was dCeJdecll1l 1824 that. It was put to rest.
<br />TIll' secolld was t.ho (~xt(',Ilt. to which t.he Eng-lish dcdillit.ioll of n~L\"i-
<br />gable st.reams would hc al'plieabl" to Um Fedcral admiralty jlll'i~(lic-
<br />tion and t.o Congress' powers under the commerce. clause. If the
<br />Amel:ic:\~\ courts ~nd legislatures had adopted the "ebl> and flow of
<br />the tllle test w]uch was fanulIa!' to t,he common law, mnch of Onr
<br />w.ate!' .'e><Du!'ees development. would not have taken plnee. But. they
<br />dill not do so. Befo!'e thc tIme was rlpc for (,he Federal courts to
<br />speak Oil the matter, Congress h.\d in efl"cct adopted a broade.r detini-
<br />tlOJ.1 by sHch enactments as the pa.ssage in the Northwest Ordinance
<br />wlll~h. has ..drl~ady up-con qlloted ann by the inclusion in srction 0 of the
<br />iTudlclnr.l', Ad of 1789" of a provisIOn vesting exclusive jurisdidion
<br />JIl tIle U.S. dll:5LrICt. courts over-
<br />
<br />all civil cnnsPs .of ndmirulty and mnTililne jUl'isdidion, 1neluding' all selzures
<br />n~der laws of' Impost, navigation or trude of the United States, where the
<br />seiZUres ore Illade, on wnters which are nnvigoble from the sea by vessels of ~n
<br />or more tOilS hllrthen . . ..
<br />Both of. thes.e !'ep,resellted a clea!' b!'eak frolll the English rule.
<br />The Ii,.st JIl(hclld steps tOI,""l'd the aballdonlllent of the "ebb and
<br />flow" rule and the ndoption of the "navigable in fad" rule were
<br />t.nkell by tho Stnte eO<llto5." It was not until J8:.2 that t,he SIl reme
<br />C,?urt settled the matt,:r fo!' Fede!'al pnrposes in the Genessee Ohief v.
<br />Fltzh"(lh. III the admlralt.y field and ullt.il the J8W's alld J880's in
<br />The Danwl Ball" and E8oanab" Oompany v. Ohioaqo" for commerce
<br />cIa IIse pH rposes. .
<br />Those rivE'l"s TlIllst be re~wrded llr
<br />na\'i,"mhlt~ ill fll{'t- us [HI Ie navigable rive-rs in law which are
<br />
<br />the Court wrote in The Daniel Ball.
<br />
<br />And t~e:r nr.e Iln\"~gflhle in foct when they UTe URf>d, or fire slI!o;ceptlble of helng
<br />URN1, In tllelr onhnnry condition, lIS highwnys tor commerce, over which trade
<br />!JO 1 '!'ifnt. 77,
<br />f1 Vor ('xnmplell. CQn~ult .":cott ,. Wilhon :l N n 321 . <) ..
<br />~~~~~~tt:: f"l~r:~ :~?tfi~r. the C')lUm~[1 lnw. IK- 'f'{ln.Rliif'l"f';l' 1l~-~II\.~~;~ll' ~nC~hl~e~~~~~.t ~:rne:
<br />pUrpr'R~ of hontlll/.:' nll~ ~,~fn~('j:' 8~71;t\\t ll~ hf" hf"~n ~\l Inll/!: lI~Prl hy the Il1Ihlk, it)r the
<br />p~~hJI~ hlll:hwn;....') : .<;.:hnmk ,.. SchuillkHt ~'~;i ~?/:;I 'CltllOllt ~llf>:-f1(ln. 1'(\ cr~lslrj,'l'"('r'I n~ a
<br />( '111" ,CTI'lIt r]1"I'r~ of .-\lII1'-rlt'a nr/' M diff(,r'<'nf, Q".14 " &. R. (Pa,) .1.70 (1S.G)
<br />or mnn;-.'. flip. MIll!! t1pftnltlon or-o na,.lcnhll" rr~~~ thos~ of F.nj:'lan~. tlmt In the oplnlnn
<br />Mnny ot ollr rlvi'rl'l, lIucll Oil the 1I.f19sIClsIPPI OhloC"IIAlrt trOllerl~ dbc~nrrlll'<1 to both.
<br />nnvhmblp. P\'en In their nnturnl t t Ii .' 1 . eJ:' nny. an .."u,~qllehlll1nn. II.re
<br />If ~lI{"h rh'prN hall pxl~tf'fl In }~nl!l~n~1 e fh~ ~~t'!<eor :t ('ons1rlernble burdell, an,1 wlH"~'ber
<br />dUI'f'rent. mn.v Cf'rtnlnlv ndmlt of u;~t1 n" e e ("OmOlon Inw mlg'ht not hn.vf> hf'c-n
<br />nnrrOWf'r 11f'llnltlnn ot. "nnvlJ:'ahl(!'~ w'er~ nd Th'" court nlflo notl'~. lit RO. that it the
<br />Comnwnwl'1Ilth from prof'ldlrJ~ tor th(' Impro~~:~g"1t thF1ll\"\ thjl!t would ~Ot I!!",vent the
<br />tlon mUflot hnv~ bf.('n matle to the owner" the nmountO or"'llC'h\c:b \'"f'~IO~!lht PlIP.:._ C'Ompt"npa-
<br />mOllf'l 811 to hllvf' frUlllrlltetl or nt 1 i h 11: d t w m ~ live ,...en "0 pnor-
<br />Warflinl7tnn. 1 l\J.-cnrd (8 C i ti~O 5~~n(1"22~{ f~'1 ~l;el nojle undertakIngs"): Cate. v.
<br />3~v.!~e. e~~~o~l:fl\;'b~t~ ftll~erw:fl '~:t61~~~d nuvl:llbi~.1; ::c/!'~: ~f"'~~~t~:n~:! :~~s l'~~
<br />.everol hundred naileR sbo..e the t10WIDI' of ~~e Yl~f4 .~)tllte, where our rITer. are navIgable
<br />. -]0 WRlJ. M7 (]87]). e.
<br />-t01 U.'8. 618. 682 (1B83).
<br />
<br />are recognized nnd ncknowlr~dge(l hy the 10<"Q\ c\lstom~, luwR, nn(] the dOORlon8
<br />or (,oIJrt$l, the I)()~!'\{'~SOM nm\ l.wIlers or Sll(~b vestell rights 8hnlll1c mnintnllled
<br />nnlI protedcd in t.he sallie. . ..
<br />Whatever other mOl'e part,icul:tr background this and subsequent like
<br />enactments r.l ma.y hase lmd, the gp,nernl bnc.lqrrol1lld is clenl" cnolJgh-
<br />it is t.hat of an em in which, to repe"t., the States were prett.y mueh
<br />free to do wit,h their available water supplies as they pleased.
<br />But the Fed.,ral interest was not entirelv dormant. even before 1890.
<br />Tho \':tlue of onr g-reat river systmns as a'.teries of commerce had Ill-
<br />relldy bee.n recognizer! by th" time t.he Const.it.ution WIIS adopted. In
<br />the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, care WIIS tllken to provide thllt-
<br />The nnvlg,111Je n..1tel"S leading Into tile MIssissippi ODd Suint J.nwrence, aDd
<br />the cnrr;ying plnces bet.ween the Rome, shnIl be common bighways, and forever
<br />free ns well to the inhabitants of the snid territory 8S to the cltizens or the
<br />United States, nnd those ot' finy oth~r States that may be admitted tnto the
<br />confederncy, wit.hout nny tux. impost. Or duty therefor.
<br />Subsequent enactments;" "nd the conditions writte,n ~nto the IIcts l!-d-
<br />mitting y:nious States t,o the Union,'. reaffirmed t.ll1S same doctrme
<br />with rcspect t.o other st.reams."
<br />The ge,neral Feder:tl interest thus evidenred was fortified by. the
<br />enactment in 1826" of what became the first, of the senes of oml1Jblls
<br />rivers and ]1fi.rbors aets that has continued to this dllY, This IIct
<br />appropriated sums for specific navig-ation projeds in the St.at.es of
<br />Maine, ]\fassachusetts, Connecti(mt, New York, Pennsylvani:" Dela.
<br />ware, North Carolina, Alabama, and Ohio, and t.he TerntorJ: of
<br />Miehig-an. E~en before that time, however, Feder:t.l eont.I'Ibnt\Ons
<br />hlld been made to similar developments that were bell1g undertllken
<br />pri\"ntcly or nnder St.ate auspice.'i.11 . . .
<br />Sueh enactments as these, thOl!"'h not dn-edlv Il1volved 111 the g'l'eat
<br />cases "of Gibbon8 v. Ogden T8 anl The Gene"8"" Chief v. Filzh1tgh,"
<br />
|