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<br />
<br />FEDERAL WATER IUGHTS LEGISLATION
<br />
<br />Const.it.ution which carries with it tho right t.o 11~ wit,hout com~
<br />pellsat.ioll)... \ . IS'
<br />The eon"tit.ut1Oual 'l',e"t1On has not. h~cll Hettled 1) .t.,~ ' '!pleme
<br />Court..lOo It wa~ spcc1l1eally left open, Ill, t.he cnsc of lrrlg:~~~on, hy
<br />t.he majorit.y in Unitcd Stnte., v. Om'lnch J""c..tnel, Company . Re-
<br />{errin'" to c'ollgl'~ssionnl ncts declarin~ t.hat "the entire. Central. Vn.!)ey
<br />project'" . '" is '" '" II< for the pnrp<>?cs G.f improvmg naV1g'atlOn,
<br />rerrulatillrr the tlow of the San .Toaqum R,ver and the SaeraTl!ento
<br />R~'{'.I' co~t.rol1in(l' floods.,_ providing for storage. and for the delivery
<br />of t.l1c'stOl'r-d wnt~'s t hereof,~' etc.,to:! t he Court. saul:
<br />Thp. G(IW'TnIHcnl C'ont(>IHll'l lhat the oyerall c1f'Clnrnt!on or purpose Is Rpplicable
<br />to Frillllt 1),IIIl :lIld r{'l:lt{'~1 irri,L!:ltioll fadlities . ... I.It] ~'elll.".s nn. the rule
<br />that it (loe<; nut h:1\"e tll (,1lI11JlC'lI~:1te for lle:,:truction of npnnan IHtelests o~er
<br />wl;kh :1t the point of ('onllict it 11m; II Slll~rinr nuyigation illtercst the exerCH;e
<br />ot which 1)(''C:1sions thed:11ll:1I!C - . .., . j
<br />Claimants, on the othl"r hflllrl, urge thnt at le:1st. the Fnaut Dam pro eet was
<br />wholly IInrclat('d to 11:1\'ignlioll euds nm:1 could not be C()lltr(lI~('(~ I~Y. the ~encrnl
<br />con~r("s:<;ionnl decl:natiolL of pm'pose. 'rhey poiJ.lt out Owt. , In ev.ery.ln-
<br />stance in whil'll thi~ Court has (](>nic(} ('nlllpt'lI8.ntlon for d~prl\'nt!on of rlp:1.t1Rn
<br />ri~htR it hml: S!1N'iflcallY 11ote<1 t.hnt the Federal 'lll1(lert?kl~g hore some ~lOSltIV~
<br />reohtion to control of nndl!iltion . . . [allll} that. tillS Court has neler per
<br />mitted the r.o\"("l'nruent to pcr\"ert its navigation !'C'r\'it.lHlp. in!o a rigbt to d~:~troy
<br />ripnriuu interc!;ts withOllt reimbursement where no nn\'I.A':1tlon.pllrymse cx~sted.
<br />Since we do 1I0t n~rce t1lM ('ollp:re~:;l: intf'IHIf'I\ to in\'olie It~ nn\"l~.ntl(ln sC'rvlt.nde
<br />as to endl nnd enry ODe or this I;rollp of coordinnted proJect~ (I.e., ~he vn:l~n:
<br />unlt~ of the Cf'lltrul Valley projcd], we do not reach the constltntlonnl .
<br />tsslle~ thll~ posed. Accordingly... we need not flOmler whether, by virtue
<br />or a hic:hly flctionnl nn\"il;:ltion purpose, the Government could destroy the flow
<br />]'~Cf how~vf'r, ....llll:lrlon v. Raltimorc "'Iff "NClQ York Rnilroad Co., :l2 Ff'u. 9, 17 1~
<br />(C C D'i>; J 1f''''-) In which the c(\urt hnd h~rnre It the (jlle!Otlon whclhl'r Cc>nr=rNIII cou
<br />co~lIilt;:ti~;';:1]].~" ~mp(l"cr fI c....rporll,tlo~ttlt hllP~ n; }~~~~~t~~rtl~;I~~C~n~"~~'n~n 0';oC~~11;f'~8~~
<br />Ullf' Illlnrnerc:....d l:llHl.~ h....lonJ!lo~ to tIe " n e 0 f' , . I I' t I It t:llld'
<br />lion Illcrf'fur. Till"! cOllrt. :opcnklog thrOll!l:h Mr. ,Tu!;tlc~ Brndl{Y, fI t~ n~ln 1~I~c~n~e _ ...
<br />"TIll"! mllll! IItrclIllOIl!' ohj!'l'llon . . . to tll.... ('''....rc],'.... of : II" PJlhr I::'ltll!f' Ill'to r::tnnll,
<br />II' Ilnll('d....n tll.... fu('1 th3t Ill.. I'I..rl< ot' the hrlo!:"1'l nr.... to rf'!':" nn (' 1 t tl de
<br />on lnnu whiC'h hf'lollL"-.l't,\ thr.- ~tnt(', nnd thnt no eOlllpcll!'<nliQII Is propo!<f" 0 a mil
<br />for till"! tnkhll: thprMt'" - - . ..
<br />. - - .. - I I h nn l~\fI(l!l
<br />"T!lp Information rh:~htll' !lInt...:> tllllt, prior to thf' n"vo lI11on. Ill' :> or.... " b l' ed
<br />t1n'I("T ""~t"r of 111.... oll,'1C:1l1;le F<tr"'llln~ nn,) wnt....r.<; ot' the prodnf'(, of ]I.;.~w ,TC'r.<;....v I' o~~hP
<br />to Ih.... K'inl! of Cr"flt Hr.jt:1in /l!O n:lrt tlf thf' ;/lm ,"('flnlin nf Ih~ rrO\l"ll, OIIHI f1i\"~l~('(jr~'.mll'"
<br />~tnl(l h\" ri"ht (If (.Oll'IU....!'t. 1'11" lufonnntioll (\01'1< not ~I:\tl'. how","..r, \\" ~i .1< ";r{l !Iv
<br />~h~"kl~~~'lti'I;~~~;~t I ~1~r ('t';~'I~~"'I~~I'lcl\\:....~'I~j ~~~':;:l;I~~1' nl~~'\I~;'~'I':}~.f' n~:t~'i;e Il~~ec~i~n ~he~~....~~
<br />ot' _ . .; rncill""!' ,'f 11:I,'I~:III'lll 1111,1 C1l1l11l11'rI'f'. llf'lllJ,:' :Ollhil'.~t TII tlll..: trn.<;!, !lL:'y..,
<br />fllllo1if'f ;I/rill : III 01 !ll'r wnr(l!', tllf'Y' Wf'r: th~']il C~r th~\ 1I'<;f'r Ot~ thl~ ~1~Oll/~71~; ~,~:f:~-nn nppor-
<br />"!O;lIi"'h h...lnl::' th... dlllractrr or IIH' St.! {'" o"n....r.<; pOII' I 11 II puhllC
<br />tunit,. - h..I.I. nnt ror th.... I'llrpO"(' or ....mnllll1lrnt. 11lIt for .lluhllc lrl'l ('!Op....;.:ln .vo! ;~rop....rt.v
<br />UIII' or nn'l'"lg'ntlnn Ilnl1 {'ollllnrr,'("---lhp flllf'.<;llon nrl.<;"~ ~h...tlif'r t I< 11 In . . _
<br />1'11!l1"'ptlt,l" nf p"l'u'nl.'lr.v (,"l11p"l1.<;nll~n. within 111... ml'nnl~I:"I or' rtJ~~/'~~I~~~~~~I~(. nl,lIn!!:
<br />It i.~ f,no~ ~~ 1~~~~~:~"I~r~1 n~~!t~r;~...nln;'~II\~II~~~It"~r;;o~~""\~h:v ~holll!l It h(' ,lr....ml'rl 1:1I('h
<br />~~~~ I('.. .. ...r....~lln"!l IIr'" mill].... for III.. lH1rl'o"" of :li,liTlI! :In,l PTll:lrUITll::' lI1l11r...rcl"ltw~f~nit
<br />thl' ..nfllwit'. nr thO' n:1I'I):::1101(' !':lr":111l 1t'<;f'lf - . -? It l!'t commpr('f'. nn, 110 nll\ l:n ,
<br />Wll!~~I~!Op~I;\~,ir;~ ~:~:lir::1' o:n~~t~~~~,~l~~oi~~ ~l~~~~ or 'h.... lX',lI"er hi':,! r....,.,llln,'h" npn~~~~t~,n c.."nn~
<br />I hi t 1 fllr....~lll" /lnll thl'''l' nrl' '<;0 ('omllt....tf' v ~II lPC 0 I'
<br />nn," ~\ : ~\~~t ,r(hIH: I:I'(,~~"" 111"11111 'to C'IlII thl' pntlrf' n'n\"jc::1hle \\'nt~r," ot' thl' coun,'"
<br />l!'r....1< ,. th II '1 11 f.\tatl'l< ... ~o whIp nntl ('xt~n"I,",~ \" thp Ofl('rnl on
<br />'~7f'thr:o."I~f~.1;r ~ir~~~~io~~~~~~ c~ln:II~~C'" An;;r ~j,~~hl~II~'~W~~ ,: S~~I~...~nfr:;:'g~h~~':;.~t~t~
<br />o,c:nln!Ot I.... W 0, I!< thlq pow....r. fltll\"f'tl whl'n It ("(lm...M to till' 1J1I....l<llon of f'rf'ICtln!!: B
<br />
<br />ff;~~:F~i~~f[,lE~::~1;~{;~0.~;f{.:g~;:i~~~lgs&~J4iIiY~;~:~~~~I;~~fE~ffi:;~
<br />
<br />~;'~~Hll('rc.v. whlf'b. In the jlJd.lml{'nt of COn,l;Tf'88, mn.y be neeeR811.r,. or expedlcnt.
<br />~: ~~~:(1~tA~~.{I2161 1937, llee. 2 (50 Btat. BlSO) n.n<l Oet. 17, 1940 (~4 Stat. 1199).
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<br />FEDERAL WATER RIGHTS LEGISLATION
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<br />
<br />ot fl Il:lyil-:'ahil' 4n':lIn nnd ('arry Ilwny it~ watf'r~ fot' snle to provide iiltf're~ts
<br />willlOlIt ('ullIl'pn:-;ation to LllO:oe c1epri\"(!(l o( them. \""c ll:\\"e lll'\"('r held time or
<br />nn,\'t.hill~Ii];,(!it - - "."~
<br />Tho case 'l'"OillfT furt-hest in the direction of t.he first a.lternati\"o set
<br />out auo\'e is UaitrdState8 v. Twin Oity Power Oompony.'" The Chief
<br />of Ellcrinecl's reporting to COllgres.s on construction of the project in~
<br />volved"in thi~ easL~the Clark Hill project on t.he Sav:lllnah ltlver-
<br />had said that "if suitauly eonst.l'Ucted and operated primarily for
<br />hydl'Oelectric-power development, [it] would incidentally reduce
<br />downstream flood damages and improve low-water flows for naviga-
<br />tion"; Congress had aut.horized its construct.ion as part of "the com-
<br />pmhensivc development of t.he Savannah River llasin for /lood con-
<br />trol lInd other purposes"; ""d the Court of Appeals for the Fourth
<br />Circuit had "concluded that t.he improvement of Ilflvig:ltion wns not
<br />the purpose of the taking but that the Clark Hill project was designed
<br />to serve flood control and wateqJOwer developmeut." Even so, the
<br />Supreme Court found that it had be-en the '"decision of Congress that
<br />this project will serve the interests of navigation," that, this decision
<br />must be respected by t.he courts "until and unless it is shown 'to in~
<br />valve an impossibility'," and that "If the interests of navigation are
<br />served, it is constitutionally irrelevant. that other purposes may also
<br />he adva.nced," 10.~
<br />The COlll't thus left open the question with which we are now Con-
<br />cerned. How it will ult.imately be settled will depend on, among
<br />other things, t.he weight and meaning given to the oft-quoted words
<br />in United States v. Chandler-Dunbar Oompany.' '06
<br />Ownership or a private stream wholly upon the lands of nn individual is con-
<br />ceivable; Imt that tbe running water in a grent nuvignble stre:lm is capable ot
<br />private ownershiI) is inconcei\"uble.
<br />Fo!' t.his and other similal' shttements '" in the opinions of t.he Court
<br />can, depending upon how closely contilled t.hey are to the special facts'
<br />of the ense in eonneet.ion with which they we!'e said, well lead to the
<br />1000::\:ln u"s. fit i:lG f. C(lmlln.r~ lh11'('([ Rt(1te.s \'. Hirer HOWIe Impro!:rlllCflt Co., ~6n U.S.
<br />411, -l-\fl {l!l~lj) {"TIl(~ rl;:ll[ uf the Ullltcll ~t.1tNI In the 1l1l\"Ij::"ablc wntl'r::l wltllln the
<br />5p'l'ral ~tllt,.,.. If', how"",'r, '11,,,lt,:.1 to thll coutro1 tlJ("r'~'lf {or the rurpO.~C8 ot nn...l,.:n.
<br />tion.' ' - - .\nll whi1.' Cong'rf'~.<:. 1n the f'x:er,~-j.<;e 0' tblA pow"!" may ndopt ' - - nny
<br />menns bnvln~ 80mI' positive reJ:'ltlon to the control of n:lvlgntlQn - - - It m.'lY Dot orbl-'
<br />trnrlly (]....lltrC';\. or lmpalr Ihe rl.l!nts or rlpnrlan ownE'rs hy It'I:'I:-;llltlon which hilS no Tl'nl or
<br />fluhl<tnlllinl r,'lntlon t,) tll" conlull ot nn'l'"k:Jtlon or npproprlaf....n..5!'l tn thllt rn(\"l wIth
<br />mfJI 01 Tncoll/ll v. Tfl.rpfl7lcr3 oj TIlCOHlfl, :l:>7 U.S. 320, 3.H (1fl:iR) ("It Ie no lonber open
<br />to llU('fltloll tllnt lhl' F'e(1<'rnl Governmcnt undrr the ('olllnlprre r]allfle of th(' C'ollF:titu-
<br />t!'m . . . ha!O ,10HlI11Ion, to the pl"clusloTl of tILe StntpR, Q\'"('r na\'!glLhle waters ot the
<br />Unltl',l ~tllt...!' . ... C(ln.c;r("Rl< hilS plC'ctf'f1 10 ex{'rcl"e thts pOllcr unll,'r thc f1ctllllC'd aTld
<br />e(lIll,'ro'h"II"I,'" plan fllr dr.-,'clo]lI(If'nt of the Sntlon's water resources, wblch It prescribed
<br />In the Fellern! Power Act - - -.").
<br />l~ SlIpr'l, nnte 90.
<br />,.. ~:-l() lJ.:->. /It 2::!.1 f.
<br />lUll ~2n U.S. :;3, m.l 1191:l). For our purpO!Oe!'i It IF< worth notlnl; that neither the majority
<br />nor th.... mInority III tile Tu:in Citll cnlle, BI/flra. notc 90, rl'!o<t+'u It<< concll1~[on t\'ltil re!:pect
<br />to the! main polllt at Issue on wideh thl'Y dltrC!rC'd~vlz., whether the Challdler-Dunhar rlJle
<br />precludes a rl'cQ!;uitlnn of speelnl power !:Ite vnlue In Innd~ bclnJ: t:lken or whether it
<br />merf'I~' pre"lul1es paYIlLC'nt for the wntprpQwl'r 1t,,('lf-on thc {'XI,.I('ll('1' PI" TI"n...."i~I"nc.. nf
<br />"veRtl'd" rl.c;htH nn,l(>T :-itote law. IDllecd. though the mlnorlt,v thought It worth mentlon-
<br />Inl: (:1t 2::14) thnt "thl'Te nre no vested wnter rights el/llmed hcre under State law," it
<br />concluoNl that the c"nrlcmlH'C!'I 'Were cntltlell to compen!Ontton for the po\\".'r .<;lte '\'allle
<br />ot Ihelr t'o..ct lnnd" The Dlllj(lrlt).. on the (lthcr hnnd, s(,cm to hnve thoul!ht that sllch
<br />rlJ!ht:'l Were claimed bllt r~nchcd the eooclll.<;lon thnt power !';ltC! vnlll(! nCN! not bc paid
<br />whether they exl~ted or not: "It 18 no answer to so,. that these privatI'! owners hnd
<br />IntereRt!l In the water that were rf'eol;nlzcd by State low, We lIelll here with thc }.'(Odernl
<br />domnln, o.n aren. whleh Congress can completely preempt, leaving no vested prlvntp claims
<br />that eon8Utute 'prfvatc property' within the men.nlng of the fifth amendment" (ot 227).
<br />"'" For example, ,united sea.ee. v. Twin OitV Power 00., ."p"o, note 90 at 226 ft,
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