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<br />FEDERAL WATER RIGHTS LEGISLATION
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<br />and would r"'l".ire resort to State ndministrntive nnd l'udicinl bodies
<br />for determinations of ri/(hts.' Some include Federn Power Com-
<br />mission licensees iu the list of those required to conform to State
<br />lnw;' others single out defellse installat,ions for special mention;'
<br />still others omit (,hese pJ'OvisioJls or make exceptions in favor of In-
<br />dians nnd Indian tribe.,,' Federnl flood cOlltrol operot.ions,' treaty
<br />obligations with Canada amllllexieo,' or other types of operotion."
<br />Some arc written wit.h an eye specifically to subordinat.ing the use of
<br />water for navignt.ion to its other uses;11 others make no express men-
<br />tion of this problem. Some are drown primorily t.o eliminat.e claims
<br />of right based on resCl'\'ations of pllblic lands for Fedel'Ol purposes;"
<br />others bypass this questiou or covel' it by their brooder terms and do
<br />not mentIOn it. specifically. Some make compliance with State laws
<br />nonmandatory where the Unite,1 States is not, treated at lenst on 1\ par
<br />with other applicants;" others fail to denl with this problem.
<br />
<br />FOUR SUI'RE:\IE COURT DF.CISIONB
<br />
<br />As is cvidcl,lt, there is grent. dhoersit.y in ~he scope nll.d contp;ut.. of
<br />these bills. 1 he one factor that they ha\'c III eommon IS restrlct.lOn
<br />of t he powers of the li"edC'l':\l ndminist.l'nt i,"e ngencies and a correspond-
<br />ing enlaWClllent, of the po\\'ers of the States o\'er what they now
<br />nre,. 'rh~tever their tel'lllS, all or nearly all of them are imhcative
<br />of dissatisfaction on the part of the;'. nuthors wit.h the conclusions
<br />nrrived at. in one or more of four landmark decisions rendered by t.he
<br />Sllpl'elll~ Comt. ov~r t,he pnst. 6U :yenrs.. Thrse. fOUl' drcisi.ong, to name
<br />them ill chrollolllgwal order, are those III the cases of United States v.
<br />B.io (;raJ/(lc Dmn and f1'rigation CO.,14 lll.illfer,q v, United State.s,'_r,
<br />Fir8! lown. lIydro-Electric' Goopemtive v. Federal Power G07ll.m.is-
<br />8io1l-,lG and FedeJ'al Powe1' Comm.i8sion \'. Oregon, commonly referred
<br />to as the Pelton /)aJn case. IT
<br />
<br />'lI.n. 71j!1] , 8~d COIII:'.: n.R. !l97, sad ConJ:'.; II.n. 741, H.n. 8325. II.R. S341. H.R.
<br />fl.!'",flll. II It. !14'l!1, 1I.n. !I:;O:;. nlltl U.H. IOAia. R41h Con!:.: H.Il. 2211 ond U.R. tiR71.
<br />"GtIL ('on):.: n.H. 12~H. 1I.H. 2:1r,;t, JUt. ~:;;.5. II.R. !'i!'iST. n.R. 5618, n.n. :'i71f1, nnd RH.
<br />::i74". t'fjlh CUll'::.. III H.H. ,';~~.i. JUl. A:lH, lI.n. R500, 1I,n. D4S9, JUl. 050:-" nnll H.R.
<br />10~i:l. B"'h Cuu):.. tJl<'r(' I!'I F;I'f"clllc I'ro,'lslon for rl'nlO\"nl or !':UltB tD FcilC"ml ('ourtR whpl'f!
<br />tho Unlled Stnte~ I!II n pnrt~.; Ihl' othN hills arc eitb('f illlent on this quelrtlon or prohibit
<br />rt'mO'"lll.
<br />'H.n. ~~2a. II.n. E':Hi. II.IL f',:ir,o, lI.lt. !H.8f1. lI.n. 05(ll'i, and R.R. 10873, 84tb Cong.;
<br />H.n. :'>871. ~:Hh CUll,!:'. : JUl. ~:in;\. 81ah Cflnc. b
<br />'H.n. :'",7:\;., JUt :07:\.i. 1111.1 Jl.ll. 7n!ll. R~t1 ('nnl:'.; n.R. 997. B3d Con!;.: I1.n. 741. 84t
<br />Conl:'.: Ir.n. ~:!11, K:ith Con~.: 11.11. 1::!~4, Rfilh r.OIli:.
<br />TII.n. :'",S71, 85th Con~..i. n.H. ~:H;:~. n.n. 4M7, n.R. 4604, B.H. 4607, n.R. /jr;55, H.R.
<br />5:J,fl7. II n !'ifil~. n.n. :i71l". 1!.It. :'".HH. IIIHI IUl. (\140. 8n.11I emu::,.
<br />. ILll: .<1~:O. IUL R:147. II.H. ~;.nfl. JUt. !l.Hi\), H.H. !l:'".Ol'i, ontl H.n. 10873. 84th Cong.:
<br />H.n. :;~71, "':-'lh CUIl,l::' : IJ.H. ~:lfi:l. fl1ilh ('nil!!.
<br />-JUl. ~1:!;;. II.H. ,1::.:147. 1I.1t. ":;lill. II.H. 94."!). n.R. 9:10:1. nml n.R. 10R7a. R4111 Con,lr.;
<br />R.H. !'iF:71. S;,lh Cflllg'.: II.fI. :!:W:l. JUl. 4;'117, II.H. 400-1. 1I.1t. 4G07, H.R. [m:;::;, 1I.n.
<br />U5X7. II.H. ;,lil1'l. JUL 5718. 11.1t. :ij-1R. nod lI.n. ti140. 8G1h ConI!:.
<br />]0 n.n. 5:-:<71, fl.1Hh ConJ!:'. Dnd n.n. ::!3G3. 80th ConJ;". (Federal reclnmatl.?n projectl'l In
<br />CNtain ('lrl'nnll.:!III1Cf'f4) ; IUL 4::1n7. JUL "fin-l, H.H. 4607, IIml u.n. 61-10 ( ony rlj::'ht [of
<br />tbf' Unlt,...1 Slnt"':;.1 to IIn\' qllll11t1t\' or water lIf4~d ror Jrol'"ernmlC>ntnl purpo8el'1 or proj;Toma
<br />at' 11m' 11m" from .Jnnui.ry 1, ]940 to thp f'(I'ecUl'"e dntE" of tbll' Act.. nDd "noy right
<br />or th,; floltl'd HtlltNI to 1I""lC> wlltf'r whleh I~ hE"r~nrter In1\'1ully InlUlltpd 10 the eXlC>rclRe
<br />ot thf' l"x\'rP<lN' or o('C'f!f''1nrll.'' Implll"d nuthorlty ot dny prcspnt or ruturp Act or COOI:'Cf'RII
<br />or 81111,.. IlVo' wltl'n !'Inch I"Ic:ht 18 Inltlnted prior to the acqulll!UoD by otbers of an1 tight
<br />to m'" wlltl'r l'Ur!'lllnnt to Stnt(!; IlIw.")
<br />1111.R. 8fi24. R.1d Conl:'.: n.R. 3404. H.R. 6147. n.R. A~23 H.R. 8347. n.R. 85M, H.R.
<br />D489. II.R. orlO:;. onll R.n. 10873, 84t'h CODR'.: H.R. GB71, 85th CODI',; H.H. 2383, 86th
<br />Coni:".
<br />':1 1I.n. l"i~71, 85th Cong.; J:(.n. 2363, H.B. "'1S81, H.n. 4604, H.K. 4801, ~4 H.K. laO,
<br />86th Con;:-.
<br />l.S H.lt. lol:\2!:'i. H.R. S3n, B.H. 8(560, R.K. 9489, B.a.' 9GO~, n4 H.B. 10818, 84tb CODI'.;
<br />B.n. 5S71. 8f1.th ConI!. .
<br />. :u.174 U.R. 600 U8fJO\. . ,
<br />11 201 U.R. M4 \'008 .
<br />"::\28 n.R. llJ2 UH8. '.
<br />If 8-1.0 U.'S. 43~ lOl"i5."
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<br />FEDERAL WATER RIGHTS LEGISLATION
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<br />The first of t.hese four-the Rio Grande Ruit-was iustituted by tl!o
<br />Department of .J liSt ice to enjoin c?nst,mction of a d!,m across tho RIO
<br />Gl'ande in what waS then tho TerrIt.ory of New :Mexlco nlld to rest,;'n.I.n
<br />the defendants from appropriating waters. of tl!at stream for UTI-
<br />gation.18 It was alleged that the Impound1l1g, d.verslOn, and use of
<br />the wator would-
<br />80 deplete Dnd pre\'ent the flow of water tbroug~ the chnnne~ ot said ri\'er b~l~W
<br />8nld dam. . . "s to seriously obstruct tbe nangnble cap:1clty or the said r1\el~
<br />throughout Its entire course from saill point at Elephant Butte to Its mouth.
<br />The lower courts found that the Rio Grande in New Mexico was non-
<br />navigable and dismissed the suit. The Supreme Court reversed with
<br />inst,mctions to detenniue whether the defendants' proposed construc-
<br />tion and appropriation woul<.l.-
<br />substantially lIimlnlsh the nu\'igability ot [the Rio Grande] within the limits of.
<br />present Dlnignbility, uno If so, to enter n decree restraining those acts to the
<br />extent that they will so lIiminish.20
<br />In the course of his opinion, Mr, J ust.ice Brewer, s]Jeaking for the
<br />Conrt, said that, while each State could adopt or modIfy the prevaIl-
<br />ing rule of cont.inuous flow to snit its own needs, its power to do so
<br />was subject 1.0 two limit,ations:
<br />Fir~t, . . . in the ahscnr'e of specific authority from Congr(>~q n State ('nnllot
<br />by Its legislation destroy the right of the United Sto'ltN., ns the owner of lanl]s
<br />bordering on a stream, to the con tinned flow ot its waters; so far fit least as
<br />may he llece~sal'Y for the lJenetlcilll U$('S of the go\"el'llll1cnt property. Second,
<br />. . . It is limited by the snperior power of the General Go\"ernment to secure
<br />tbe uninterrupted nllvlgability ot all navigable streams within the limits of
<br />tbe United States.21
<br />lIe t.hen pointed out that Congress hnd, on various occasions, sane.
<br />tioned the appropriation of water for agricultural, mining, and other
<br />purposes in accordance with local law and custom. Referring to the
<br />acts of July 20, 1806," MI\rch 3, 1877," nnd March 3, 1801," rmd their
<br />relat.ion to the navigat.ion problem, he said:
<br />Obvioll~lr by these act.q, so fnr :IS they extended. Con~ffi~ recogllizro nnd n~
<br />s~ntell tll the npf)ro}lrintion of water in contra\'C'lltion llf the COllllllon Inw rille- as
<br />tu cOTltil1\1on~ fi,I'W. Tn infer thl'refrolll thnt. COIl;:Te~s inl(>n\1P1.1 to n,]('ns(> its
<br />control over tll{' navigable !o;trenms of the country and to h'rant In nid of mining
<br />InflllstrleH and the reclnmation of arid Inn!l!'! the right to approprinte the wnh'rs
<br />on the SHurCffi nf navl~nble "treaTll~ to !it1H"h Jln E'xtent as to tle~trtlr their ml\'ij.:a-
<br />bl1it..\.. if:! to ('arry those ~t~'ltlltes be:rond whnt their fair iml10rt permit-c;. This
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<br />~ TIlp. RlIlt wnR n~tnfl.lIy cnnlml'ncN! hy thlC> Dl"T"fl.rtmP.nt or ,TlI!'Iflcp. IIdln~ lit filA rj>qUf'Rt
<br />or till' StntlC> n"pllrtm,..nt "upon ("OmT"llIlot ot tbe l\I~xlclln authorltlelJ" (1 Hackworth,
<br />Dif1('.r (II /fltt'nlfltiollal LillO (1040) riS4).
<br />1-174 U.S. nt (j{)2.
<br />WI ThIll. nt 7.10.
<br />n Ihlll. At 70:l.
<br />1:lIJ4 Rtllt. 2:-;::1. sec. 9, Rev. Std. 2330. 43 U.S.C. 061. Tbe t~J:t or tblg nct lEI !let out
<br />.nlrff. lit pJl. J:t t.
<br />E11R ~Int. 3i7. ~('c. 1. 4:\ V.R.C. ::121. Cl'lmmonly known n8 thc Deflert l.nnd Act: ... . .
<br />tb(' I'"I~ht to th,.. 1181' of wnt\'r by th,.. )li'n:on 1'0 ('onllnctlnp: the !lome. on or to nnv trnct
<br />or flf";"Nt lnnd . . . Rhllll dPTwnd u)lon honn nile. prior apPT'l"flrlntlon; nnd !'Iuch rh;:-ht
<br />Rhnll not ,..x(',..f'rl the IImount nt wntf'r nl'tl1:1l1l'" npprollrlnt('fl, nno nfOC('<:!'Illrlly ul'pd for thl"
<br />pnrpm:'" nr IrrlC'llflon nno r,...,..ll1mA.tlon; IIno nil Rllrplll8 wlltf'r Ol'",..r and nhrwe fHlCb nctunl
<br />ftppl"oprllltlon 11m] m:... to,l::'pthl'!r with the 'l'"nt~t or 1111 lnkNt. rh'f'lrll. nnd oth,..r flonrCe!'l or
<br />''Wntrr flllPpl.v npon thfl' puhllc III nOR nnd nflt nll,'knlllfl'. !lllnll rrmnln nnd be hpld rrN> for
<br />thl' npflroprlntlon IInll URe or the public tor lrrl):lltloo. mlnln,::- aod mnflurllcturlng purposp.
<br />l'Iuhjf',..t to fOxl/l.flnJ!:' MJ!:'ht....
<br />. 2ft ~tnt. 1101. Rec. 18, "'8 U.B.C. 946: liThe rl.fl:'ht-ot-wfty throlll:'h thP. public lnnd.
<br />and rmrrvnllonfil or the Uoltf'd Rtntl"8 11'1 hE'M'!'by .crnnted to anT ennnl or rlltch ('nmpuny
<br />torml'd ror the pllrflofle or lrrlc:atlon and duly or~ntzed under tbe- IIIWR ot ony ~rntP or
<br />Terrltnry . . .: Prollflfetf. Thllt . . . the prhlle~ he",ln Irrantffi "ban not be ('(In-
<br />.trnl'd. to IntPrrere with the eontrol or water for Irrlgatloo aod otlier purpollea under
<br />~utborll1 or thl" respeetln 9tnt" or Terrltorlf'll."
<br />~22M-60-2
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