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<br />Hutchinson News
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<br />Sunday. June 4,1989
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<br />Page 3
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<br />L'2gal barriers halt flow,of Arkansas River case
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<br />R): Dave Ramley
<br />Hut... N~..s s.,o,ct'
<br />The lor .."-running Arkansas River f('l,:d is
<br />no"" howl::.-J down in a battle over in forma.
<br />tion.nutl.\oller.
<br />Attorr..'\"S for the st~te of Kansas W&!lt
<br />IawVl'rs luf Colorado to surrender infor.
<br />m.:1t"ion tLlt the Kansans say is necessary.
<br />{'yen vIta LO their case. The Kansans s~y
<br />the Color to 13wyen are hoarding not on y
<br />mor!' :1._.'1 their share of the Arkans"s
<br />Rnr. b..~ hav(' rat holed data valuable to
<br />tht- K3r.'.J~daim.
<br />Kansa~ lawyers have asked a fedeu!
<br />hcarwg ,,:ficer to order Colorado to ghe
<br />tht'm ..~.,.t they want. Colorado sa}'s
<br />KJ.:h3:; t~,':r:andsare unrt'alistiC.
<br />T~.t' sp;at is part of what lawyers call the
<br />"disco\'ery pr(l('ess:' a period when both
<br />sidt,S t')l(: ..lilo:e data to establish common
<br />ground~ J,lf :t>Kal arguments.
<br />"The ,,":.i: of OUf discovery is to fully
<br />ie\l'iop .Iii f..H-tual information compiled by
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<br />Colorado concerning the riVer," said John
<br />Campbell, an assistant attorney general
<br />representing Kansas. "We want access to
<br />the opinions of those who are, or have been.
<br />employed by Colorado regarding manage.
<br />ment of the river, and the effects of either
<br />man or nature on its flow. We want their
<br />complete, scientific, legal perspective on
<br />the river."
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<br />"We don't have a problem sharing in-
<br />formation:' said Dennis ~fontgomery, a
<br />spf'cial assistant attorney general repre-
<br />senting Colorado. "The problt'm heet' is
<br />that Kansas is asking for information that
<br />has nothing to do with the case before the
<br />court. Wf"ve filed a motion asking that
<br />their request be morf' specific: Wf' think it's
<br />unduly burdensome:'
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<br />~lotions filed by both states are being
<br />considf'rt'd by Arthur L. Littleworth. a
<br />"special mastf'r" appointt'd by the U.S.
<br />Supreme Court to hear the case. Little-.
<br />worth. 66, is a promine-nt California at.
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<br />torney who specializes in water.rights dis.
<br />putes.
<br />Littleworth replaces Wadt' ~lcCree, a
<br />law professor at the University of ~lichi'l'an
<br />originally assignt'd to h('ar the rase.
<br />McCree died in the summer of 1987.
<br />In a May 16 telephone conference with
<br />both sides, Littleworth apololol'ized for not
<br />ruling on the motions {'arlier, notinit that
<br />an intrastate dispute in California had de.
<br />mand{'d more timt' than ht"d t'xp('cted. A
<br />ruling on the slatt's' motions is t'xpeclt'd
<br />soon.
<br />Kansas and Colorado have bet'n ft'udinlt
<br />over the Arkansas Rivt'r sinct' the turn of
<br />tht' century. In 1943, tht' U.S. Supremt'
<br />Court tried to resolve the diHert'nct's bv
<br />forming a six.member Arkansas Rivt';.
<br />Compact Administration to guarantt't'
<br />Colorado 60 pt'rct'nt of the river's flow: .to
<br />percent for Kansas.
<br />The com part ......as meant to coinridt' with
<br />dt've]opmt'nt of the John Martin Rt's('rvoir,
<br />which was desigr.t'd to stabiliu the river's
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<br />flow. This stability, howt'vt'r, began to fade
<br />in lht' 19505 when irriitators bt'gan tapping
<br />the underground water supplies that sup-
<br />port the river's flows.
<br />By the mid-1970s, flow!! into Kansas wt're
<br />showin~ dramatic declint's. Bt'twt'en 19.t9
<br />and 1973, annual flows at the staleline
<br />a\.era~t'd 121,300 acre-ft'et: between 1974
<br />and 1986, the annual aVt'ragt' droppt'd to
<br />72.600 acre-feet. Today, the riverbed bl"-
<br />tW{'t'n Gardt'n City and Great Bend is dry
<br />most oftht' vear.
<br />Kansas {rriKators claimed they wt'rt'
<br />cheatt'd. Colorado said tht' dt'clines couldn't
<br />be tuced to causes cow' red by jls juris.
<br />diction. Tht' compact was hamstrunlt in
<br />st'ttling tht' dispute because each side had
<br />three Vott'S. ~{'itht'r side could brt'ak a tie.
<br />Kansas Attorney Gt'nNal Robert Step.
<br />han took the stalE-matt' to the U.S. Supreme
<br />Court on Dec. 17, 1985. The court al{rt't'd
<br />~Iarch 24, 1986, to ht'ar the case. Tht' actual
<br />huring is tentatively scheduled for Jan.
<br />15,1990. in Pasadena, Cali!.
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<br />Tht' hearing is t'xpected to last three
<br />months, after which Littlt'worth will for-
<br />ward a recommendation to the U.S. Suo
<br />prt'mt' Court where it will bt' acceptt'd,
<br />rejt'cted or modifit'd. Both states will ap--
<br />pt'ar before the U.S. Supreme Court to
<br />argue for or against the recommt'ndation.
<br />":-Jinety pt'rcent of the case will be heard
<br />out in California, tht' rt'maining 10 percent
<br />will bt' in Washington, D.C.... Campbell
<br />said. Stephan is t'xpect('d to prt'side over
<br />"more than a .....eek.. of Kansas' opt'ning
<br />arguments.
<br />Kansas' It'ga] arguments art' beinl{ dt'.
<br />vt']oped by Richard Simms. a Santa fe,
<br />~."t., attornt'y who spt'ciali1.t's in inter.
<br />state .....ater ]a...... Colorado is bt'inl{ reprt'-
<br />sentt'd by Df"nvN attorney Davt' Robbins. .
<br />Kansas already has spent $1.907.333.
<br />Lawmahrs this ).ear approved spendinl{
<br />$1.058,000 on th(' case in fiscal 1990, which
<br />be~ins July 1. In Junt' 1988, Colorado
<br />report{'d ha\'ing spent $:?7 million on the
<br />case.
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