<br />18
<br />
<br />DEorsrONS PERTINENT TO PROPOSED WATER R1GH'IS ACT
<br />
<br />Stntc!i would go cOntm to the teaching of Chnndlcr~Dunb:lr-"thnt the running
<br />wntcr in:l. grco.t 11~\'igablc 6trcnllt is capable of private owncr:;hip is inconceivable"
<br />(22U U. S. at UU). .
<br />From t.his it can be seen that the decision may ha ve serious impJi-
<br />eMions in the field of western wat,er rights, especially in view of the
<br />distindion noted in connection with the Gerlach decision,
<br />
<br />C. WATER RIGHTS
<br />
<br />1. California Oregon Power Co. v. Jlearer Portland Cement Co, (295
<br />U, S, 142 (1930)): The power rompfi"Y sOllght to enjoin interference
<br />Wilb the lIofmnl Dow of t.he Rogue Ri\'pl', n. nOlllu1\'ignble st.ream
<br />bonJrring- its lands. lts {,itle wus drl'i,'cd from It patent. is:;;uct! to its
<br />prctlecef.sor in title ill 188!) lIude-l' l,he Homestead Ad of ~.In,y 20, lSG2.
<br />Lnnds on t.he oppo~itc side of the ri,'cf owned hy trhc eiLy of Gold
<br />Hill, were oC("llpied L.\~ t.he cement. eOlll}):U1.\f which Cllg:lgl'd ill bJasL-
<br />illg west, of {.be t,hrC':ul of t.llC sl,rcum for t.he double purpose of free-
<br />ing tlw channel, ill~.idcnL to t.he use of wn.t.er rights n.djudicntcd and
<br />permitted, and securing' brokcn stonc for a dnm to he u5C',cl in connec-
<br />t.ion wit.h a powerplant which it intonderl to build. Neither part.y
<br />jllt.l'l\dl~d to mnkc nil nelllul approprit1.tion of will,er. The cement,
<br />COmpaH.\r hllscd its prayer fCll' lIll injmH'tion on t,llc (;ommoll-lnw right.s
<br />of n. l'ipnriull proprir.tor Ilot\vit,hsta.ndillg the Or('~on \Vater Code of
<br />1!109 (()l'('gon 10""0, 1909, eh, 210) which provided \.Imt aH ,,"aters
<br />wit,hill t,he State slJould be subject t.o appropriation for bCIlC'll.ciul use.
<br />Snch nPPl'oprintions were subject to "v<.'-sted rights" which by d~ll.ni-
<br />tion require nct.unl llPplicn.t.ion of water t.o beneficial lIS('. prior t.o th(\
<br />pas~l1gc of the 1009 wnt('r code. The lower court held that the home-
<br />stead patent, issued in 1885 <:arried \\.iLh it. dlC common-Ilt\\" riparia.n
<br />right, but, t.llfiL this right could he moidfiNl by State lep:islation,
<br />.Juslico S"therland slllled t.llUt, t,he e[f"cL of the not. of July 20,1866,
<br />BUPro, os amended, wus not mcn'ly Lo confirm loenl and clIst.omary
<br />In.w find lIsage. "The (.O'ect. of these nets is not limiU.d t.o right.s ac-
<br />quired bdore lSQG. The,\' l'C'ach intn t.he future fiS \n~ll, find approve
<br />and confirm t.iLe poliey of nppropriaLion for beneflci:ll use, as recog-
<br />nized by local rules find ClIstoms, and the IC'gislation and judicial de-
<br />cisions of the arid-Innd States, fLS Lhe test find measure of private
<br />rights in and to t,he nonnu.vigublc waters on the puutic domuin" (p,
<br />15,';).
<br />If the nds of 1860 And 1870 did not constitute an entire fihnndon-
<br />ment of the common-Inw rule of running waters insofar AS the public
<br />lands nntl subsequent grflllt.el's tlicrcof were concerned, t.hC'y fore-
<br />shndowcd, lleconlill~ to Just.ice Sutherland, thc more pO:5itivc declarn.-
<br />. tions of the Des,'rt Lund Act of 1877, supm, He snid (pp, 163-104);
<br />.... .. * Kothin(,!; we ha\"c said is meant to suggest that the act, as we conslruC' it,
<br />has the effect of curtailing the pOWer of the States nffcct~d to legisla.te in respect,
<br />of water and \wter rights as t.hcy dC'cm wise in the public illtere~t, \Vlwt we held
<br />is thnt following: the act of 1877, if not before, f\1I nonna....igable waters thcn n p::J.rt
<br />of the public dom:--.in became publici juris, subject to the plenary control of the
<br />dcsign:ltC'd Stnte~, inchldjng those sinee created out of the territories named, with
<br />the right in each to detc..:rminc for itself to Wll:J.t extent the rule of a.ppropriation
<br />or the common-b,w rule ill respect of rir~\rian rights should obtain. For since
<br />"Congress e3nnol enforce either rule upon nny State,'l Kansn.Jf v, Colorado (206
<br />U. S. 46, 94). the full power of choice mllst reOlain with the State. The Desert
<br />Land Act does not bind or purport to bind the States to any policy. It simply
<br />recognizes and gives slLnC'.tion, insofa.r as the United States a.nd its future grnntees
<br />
<br />DECISIONS PE:!lTDlE~NT TO PROPOSED WATER RIGHTS ACT
<br />
<br />19
<br />
<br />are concerned, to ~.hc S!l~te and locnl doct.rint~ of nppropri:"Ltion nnrl seeks 1.0 rc-
<br />J~10\'I~ .\\'h:l~ otht'n\"1sc llllj.:;ht be:m illlpl'di1l11~l\t to it:-; [ulland s\H.:'el~ssflll op(:ra~iou.
<br />Sell jVyo/llw(J \'. Colorado (:!50 u. S. -ll~J, -:105).
<br />Bock or t,his Wl1:5 lhis morc dC'tlliled CXplllllHLioll hv Jll:5liet~ Suther-
<br />land; .
<br />,
<br />
<br />r
<br />i
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />F"or m~I~Y ):i~,r~ prior!o the p:l..~..:;~p:e of thc [l.(.t oC Jllly 2G, lStiQ (rho. 2G2, ,"cr:, O.
<br />14 Slat. _,vi, ,_<J:{), t!ll: rJ~ht tl) the ll,"iC of wall'r,; for 1I1inillg: [\Ild oth~r hellelieial
<br />purposes 111 C:dlforlll:l alld tll<: arid n'gioll p:(~lLer:llly .....;1:;; fixt~rl and \'l'Ttdated by
<br />loe.:d rules Hnd ell.:'tOIllS. Thy first :lpproJ-1l"bt.or of water for :\ !>r[\ClleGIII...;e \\":~s
<br />uplforlllly recop.:lIlZl..:~ as h:l\'mg: tll(; bl~ttl'r right to the extclIt. of hi-; :H't\l:tl 115('.
<br />'llll:, comllll)!1 !:l\\. \\"l,th, rc.;p('('t to rip:-lrinn rig-Ilts \\"as !lOt. (:oll~i(len~d :Lpplic:J.~)le
<br />or, If so, oll]y ~o a 11ll1lt('d de~rl.'c, W:\tcr \\":l::i ea..ried by llIe:lllS of dit.d~e::- ;lIlct
<br />f1UIlIC::; g.n~:lt ~1L~t,:U\c('~,for ('oll~II.mptioH by t.h():-;c ellJ.~:It;L:d in millil'g :lnd a"ri-
<br />eUltllr~ (.JC.l!nll3,On ~..l:trk, \IS 11: :::;..453, 4;)7-4G~). 1~lle rull: I-!cll(:r:1I1y-rel'O~lli~ed
<br />thro.\q.;t,lOUl; ,t,llI:. Sl,~k~ :l.lld. te~rLt,onc:'i of tlw n~ld regiOn "0."\.8 t.hat thc :\Cfltli.~it ion
<br />of \\.l.ta 1).\ pIIO....\.ppropn:1.tlOlI for:1. bcndicI:L! II...:;e \\":\5 cntitk~d to protection'
<br />n,nrl. t.he rl~lL'. npplh'd \\'hdller t!w water was diverted for Iflanllf:l.eturin" irl'i"":l.~
<br />~10~, .or IllIl:lI,l!;: pllrpo5(','i. The rule \\":\s cvidlmt'cd !lot :llone h\' leglslatioll :~nd
<br />Juo.lel:1l dl~,~lS'O:', lJu.t.:. h.Y,I?(':~1 llnd ell~to1l\:l.r.\. 1,\.\\' and ll:iage :lvS wf:ll (!lr!fiCY \'.
<br />G(l/{r/(Jher, ...0 \\ all. .hIO, (jS,~-liS-l; Atclll,~on v. Peterson, 20 \\'fllL ;i07, ,~12-51;)).
<br />1111S J;eller:t1 p~dl~Y W:l~ upproHd by tile sill~!\t :ll'qllir''sccl1{'L: of the Fl'd{~r:.\J
<br />Go\"(~rnll\ent! ,lllll!l it rC'{,(,.I~'l'd fOrlll:l1 ('onfirm:lt.ion at tJI'_' h:J.nd..;; of Con....re.s...; bv
<br />the at:t.?,f,l~htl, .S\l,j)I':".(,:lICf!~8UIl,V. .P~ler8oll.' .supr,n). ~l,etion 9 oi Lhat :ll't p";.o\.idc~:
<br />. ,lh.lL \\I~tlle\cr, 1)) pnorlt) of pU:-'~C':i::;iOll, rights to the use of W:J,t~r for
<br />Imlllllg, ag-rH'ult.ur:ll, In:\IlUL1dul'illg, or other pllrpo::;es, h~\'e \"ested :lnd
<br />:Le(-rll,~J, anu the. ,;;lme :.lr~: rc:cot!lli~:<:(l ;l!Hl fl('.kllo\\.lt-d~:ccl. 1)\' the 10(";11 ellS-
<br />i.Ollb, la~\.,." <lIlt! .he c!'--'e:~lOlls of ('oarts, the po.:',;e!:,-;or~ ~llll'owll(:r-; of :"lleh
<br />\I..'sted r.lghts :-;hall bc m:,lllltailled Hud proteetcd in t.he !::al1le; :lnd the right-
<br />?f-,,-ay lor tll\~ ('Ollst.rudIClll of ditches and C:Ul:llS for the purpOSl'S aforC'5:1io.
<br />IS herehy :ld-:lIo\\"ll'dg;ed and confirmed: .. .. .."
<br />
<br />Th,is .1~:o\"i5ioll _ \~':l~ ."l":\thf'r !!- \"Oll!llt~ry .rceogni~ion of a prC'cxi'iting right of
<br />pO:-;::f'~"lOn, COl1"tl!_Il,~lflg n. v:l.li{i CI:lll11 to Its cOlltlllucd lise, th:ln the e:)t,Lbli..,h-
<br />IIl~l1t,(,f a lIew ~IH.'.. (!JrfJdr! \'. Water Co., 10] U. S. 274, ~71). U1Iital Stal('.~ v
<br />R10 (rrandf: hn!/t/lI01I CfJ,. Id.l!, s,.GnO, 70-1-70.'5). '\Ild in order to m:\.ke it
<br />clc;lr t}l.'1.1- thl..' gr;.llltL'l'.'i of the. ulllwd StatU::i would takl' t!wir bncl-,; ch:u-g..!d ,,'ith
<br />the CXIStlllg s('J'\"Itllde, thc :Ld of Jill\" 9 1870 (ch. 235 g 17 Hi St:lt .)1- <)'8)
<br />8lnendiz,w; t.1H' act. of ISGG, pro\"ided .tha't- " . - t, _l ,
<br />
<br />, ,. *, .. all pat~llt::; gl';Lllll~u, or preemption or homesk:Ld:i allo\\'l..'d. ~h[\ll
<br />bL: sllhj.ecL to an~' \"c:';ted :_l.1lrl :J.ccrued water rigllt,;, or rights to ditcllbs ~'Llld
<br />rcser~.mrs used 1:1 cOlllle~tioll with ::illch w:\ter rights, as m:l\' h:we ueen
<br />acql~lred under or recogl1llcd by the ninth section of the act of which this
<br />act IS :llnelld:ltorv."
<br />
<br />The, dfeC't of ~hL'se '~\ets is !lOt. limited to right::; :l.cquil'cd before ISGG. Thc\"
<br />rcn.eh IIlto ~ll.e futllrC;1,,; well, :l;lld appro'.c :llld conlinll tht, p<:>lic\. of appropriation
<br />for :l belLl~ticl:l1 Ibe, fLS rcroOTlllwd bv local ru]cs 'llld CllstOIll"l : d tl 1 '.t,,'
<br />t ' d' , 1 1 " f 0 .. ' ~, .1.1l lC cgl:-.:J, JOD
<br />3.lH J,u. IC1:l (CCISIOns 0 tht:. arid-Iaml States, as the test and ITH'fLSlIre of ri\":lte
<br />r?;h~::s III ,:'L:HI t.o thl~ nOl\llaYlg;ab]e W.:l,tc:rs Oll thc public dOlllain (Jones \". ~dal/ls
<br />ill I'\c\". .,s'"Sli; G 1.:~c. .1-:l:!;~{aco~ Y. Lorenz, 9S C:l!. 3;t~, 3:35-;3:3G; 33 Pac. liD):
<br />]f thc ,~ct~ of IS!'O :'Lnd ,l~IO dJ(1 n?t constitute :\.n cntire aballClol1l11ellt of t.he
<br />cOllllllon-I.\.\\ rule of rlllllllllg waters m:--nf;lr ~ th(; publie land.:; and ~\.lb:,;eqllent
<br />grantees t.hen:of \\",~rc e(llle~rl1t'd, they J\)J"(:shadU\\'I;U thfl B'Of(: po"it.iH' c!pchr'l-
<br />tlon:::; of ~l!e De:;t~r\. Land Act of 1877, which, it. is contended did brill" about ~!l;1.t
<br />r,eslllt: 11~~1t.. :\.ct, a]Il,',\'s the l:ntry fl.lld recln.lllal,ioll of dc~'ert I.lnc\:-;o \\ itlull the
<br />St.:.ltC::S of C:\.llforlll:t,. Or,egon, and i\~\':ld;\. (to whieh Colorado \\";lS latei' a:!dcd),
<br />an~ the t)lf'll TI'rrltOrle...; of WashJ1\gton, I{l:Lho, :\lontulIa. ut.:lh, \r\"ollling
<br />Anzolln, !\~w !\h'XICO, l\.nd P:.tKOt:l., \ritl1 :\ pro\"iso to the {dfect t.hut t.hL' .ri~ht to
<br />the w~c of W:lt<~r~ hy the clallnant 5h:111 depend upon bonn. fide prior :\pproprf:~tioll
<br />Dot to exceed the ;\!,l~lll\t of w:'Lter.:; :\ctun.lI,\' n.pproprin.t,.:d [I.nd neces:':l.rilv used.
<br />for 9:e p.I,lrpo.~c. of l~ng,\tion and r~cln.lllatioll. Theil follows the clause: .of tl1e
<br />prO\l~O With \\ hlCh \\e :'Lre here concerncd:
<br />":to '* .... '11' 11" d I
<br />,I .";I~rp t ~ \\'~l~er Q\.er an a )on~ st.lch actUal approprbtion and
<br />lise, togethcr WIth the watcr of nil lakes, rh'ers, D.nd other SOllrcc::> of wate:r
<br />supply upon the put?li~ landd and not nn.vignble, shull remain and be held
<br />free for the. approprlatlOo and use of t.he public {or irrigation mining .:lad,
<br />manufactUrIng purposes subject to existillg rights" (ch. 1.07, 19' Sta.t. 37i). .
<br />
<br />(
<br />
|