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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />00.'9 <br /> <br />-28- <br /> <br />When, ho'.ever, the art I f I c I a I (or man-made) structures are abandoned or <br />forfeIted by non-use. the United States as the o~ner of the real property <br />succeeds to the ownership of the structures (as In the case of al I fixtures) <br />and may put the water from the developed source to beneficial use on <br />the public domain. <br /> <br />c, Springs and Water Holes Which are Tributaries <br />of Streams <br /> <br />.~;~ <br /> <br />In Its unreported decision In Hyruo v, Kleo~.46/ the Tenth Circuit Court <br />of Appeals appeared to restrict the effect of the 1926 withdrawal, citing <br />a 1927 Solicitor's Opinion for support.471 by holding that the 1926 <br />withdrawal did not apply to a spring If-rts flow rose to the dignity <br />of a running stream and was tributary to a natural water course. The <br />Hyrup court did not define the term "tributary" In the opinion. In <br />fact, there Is no Indication that the court consIdered placing any <br />meaning on the term .other than Its common usage. This could be an <br />Important Issue when viewed against a backdrop of state laws which <br />attach significantly different meanings to the term, particularly In <br />the context of defining which waters are subject to appropriation under <br />state law.48/ <br /> <br />_.~'.:r,.'. <br /> <br />461 Nos. 75-1452 and 76-1767 (loth Clr-., Nov. 7. 1977). <br /> <br />471 Opinion of the Solicitor dated March 8. 1927. The SolIcItor's <br />Opinion referred to In the opinion of the loth Circuit did not. con- <br />trary to the court's assertion, (slip op. pp, 10-1 I). conclude that the <br />Executive Order applied only to springs and water holes which are not <br />tributary to a stream. The opinion did not even address that Issue; <br />rather. It merely stated that the withdrawal could not be used as author- <br />Ity to reserve two tracts bordering on the Henrys Fork River In Wyoming <br />for purposes of stock watering. The Henrys Fork Is a perennial stream <br />tributary to the Green River. It does not arise upon, but only flo,"s <br />through, BLM land. The Solicitor concluded that the 1926 Order did not <br />effect withdrawals of lands bordering perennial rivers since they clearly <br />did not fIt the definition of a "spring" or "water hole." The opInion <br />went on to conclude. however, that the withdrawal did apply to a water <br />hole In the bed of an Intermittent stream. <br /> <br />481 In Colorado, for example, there 15 a presumptIon that all water <br />15 trIbutary to a natural watercourse and thus subject to appropriation, <br />See Safranek v. L1man. 123 Colo. 330, 228 P.2d 975 (1951); Cline v. <br />WhItten. 150 Colo. 179, 372 P.2d 145 (1962). holding a spring to be <br />part of the stream. See Colo. Rev. Stat. 1973 S 37-92-101 et ~.. <br />and Kuiper v. Lundvall. 187 Colo. 40, 529 P.2d 1328 (974). cert den. <br />421 U.S. 996 (1975), where the court found that groundwater whlch-;';uld <br />take 178 years to reach a stream was not tributary. <br /> <br />._~ <br />::.:..1 <br />. "oJ <br />