CHAPTER 5 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF WATER LAW IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES
| Jurisdiction | United States |
(Jan 1994)
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF WATER LAW IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES
Bennett, Main & Frederickson, P.C.
Belle Fourche, South Dakota
Offices to Contact for State Water Pemits for Mining and Oil and Gas Activities
| Arizona | California |
| Bruce Davis | Division of Water Rights |
| Arizona Department of Water | State Water Resources Control Board |
| Resources/Operations | P.O. Box 2000 |
| 15 South 15th Ave. | Sacramento, CA 95810 |
| Phoenix, AZ 85007 | Phone: (916) 657-2170 |
| Phone: (602) 542-1581 | Fax: (916) 657-1485 |
| Fax: (602) 542-3383 | |
| Colorado | Idaho |
| Morris Bell | John Carlson |
| Oil & Gas Conservation Commission | Idaho Department of Water Resources |
| 1580 Logan St. Suite 380 | State House Mail |
| Denver, CO 80203 | 1301 North Orchard |
| Phone: (303) 894-2100 | Boise, ID 83720 |
| Fax: (303) 894-2109 | Phone: (208) 327-7900 |
| Fax: (208) 327-7866 | |
| Kansas | Montana |
| David Pope | Jim Halvorson |
| Chief Engineer-Director | Montana Dept. of Natural Resources |
| Kansas State Department of Agriculture | & Conservation |
| 901 S. Kansas Ave, 2nd Flr. | Board of Oil & Gas |
| Topeka, KS 66612-1283 | Conservation |
| Phone: (913) 296-3717 | 2535 St. Johns Ave. |
| Fax: (913) 296-1176 | Billings, MT 59102 |
| Phone: (406) 656-0040 | |
| Fax: (406) 657-1604 | |
| Nebraska | Nevada |
| Stan Belieu | Nevada Division of Water Resources |
| Nebraska Oil & Gas Conservation | 123 Nye Lane |
| Commission | Capitol Complex |
| P. O. Box 399 | Carson City, NV 89710 |
| Sidney, NB 69162 | Phone: (702) 687-4380 |
| Phone: (308) 254-4595 | Fax: (702) 687-6972 |
| Fax: (308) 254-7022 | |
| New Mexico | North Dakota |
| State Engineers Office | Jack Wilborn |
| Water Rights Division | Oil & Gas Division of the |
| P.O. Box 25102 | Industrial Commission |
| Santa Fe, NM 87504-5102 | 600 East Blvd. Ave. |
| Phone: (505) 827-6120 | Bismarck, ND 58505 |
| Fax: (505) 827-6188 | Phone: (701) 224-4109 |
| Fax: (701) 224-3682 | |
| Oregon | South Dakota |
| Oregon Water Resources Dept. | John Hatch |
| 3850 N.E. Portland Rd. | Department of Environment & |
| Salem, OR 97310 | Natural Resources |
| Phone: (503) 378-8455 Ext. 228 | Joe Foss Building |
| Fax: (503) 378-8130 | 523 East Capitol |
| Pierre, SD 57501-3181 | |
| Phone: (605) 773-3352 | |
| Fax: (605) 773-4068 | |
| Texas | Utah |
| Randy Wilburn (Municipal Permits) | Division of Water Rights |
| Ed Juenger (Industrial Permits) | 1636 West North Temple |
| Texas Natural Resources Conservation | Salt Lake City, UT 84116 |
| Commission | Phone: (801) 538-7240 |
| 1700 Congress Avenue | Fax: (801) 538-7467 |
| Steven F. Austin Bldg, 11th Flr | |
| Rm 1125 | |
| Austin, TX 78711-3087 | |
| Phone: (512) 463-8412 | |
| Fax: (512) 463-6648 | |
| Washington | Wyoming |
| Washington State Dept. of Ecology | William Garland, Administrator |
| Southwest Regional Office | Wyoming Dept. of Environmental Quality |
| Water Permit Department | Water Quality Division |
| P.O. Box 47775 | 122 W 25th Street |
| Olympia, WA 98504-7775 | Herschler Bldg. 4 West |
| Phone: (206) 586-6380 | Cheyenne, WY 82002 |
| Fax: (206) 586-6449 | Phone: (307) 777-7781 |
| Fax: (307) 777-5973 |
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I. Introduction.
A. Nature of a Water Right.
1. All water is owned by a state, tribe or nation.
2. Only a right of use can be obtained.
a. Results in availability of used water for reuse.
b. Maxim of "use it or lose it," i.e., abandonment or forfeiture. SDCL 46-5-37 and 37.1. No revival. In re Cancellation of Stabio Ditch Water Right, 417 N.W.2d 391 (S.D. 1987). Legal excuses for nonuse. ARSD 74:02:01:37.01.
B. Appropriation Doctrine.
1. Water is used by appropriation to a beneficial use. Coffin v. Left Hand Ditch Company, 6 Colo. 443 (1882).
a. Physical diversion.
b. In-stream flows. State v. Morros, 766 P.2d 263 (Nev. 1988); Board of County Commissioners of the County of Arapahoe v. Collard, 827 P.2d 546 (Colo. 1992); and Nebraska, South Dakota and Utah.
2. Priority of rights — determined by "first in time, first in right."
[Page 5-2]
C. Beneficial Use Doctrine.
1. Definition of "beneficial." SDCL 46-1-6(3)(1993 Supp.).
2. Beneficial use priorities. Benz v. Water Resources Commission, 94 Or.App. pp. 73, 764 P.2d 594 (1988).
II. Acquisition of Water Rights for Oil and Gas and Mining Operations in General.
A. Must have available, unappropriated quantity of water.
1. For mining, equal in importance to the land.
a. Temporary permit for exploration drilling. SDCL 46-5-40.1.
b. Permanent source for operations.
2. Just because it's there does not mean it's unappropriated.
B. Doctrines of appropriation and beneficial use apply just as with any other industry.
1. Miner's Courts. 1 G. VRANESH, COLORADO WATER LAW 61-62 (1987).
2. Appropriation not usually a concern, beneficial use can be.
III. Selected Water Rights Topics.
A. Oil and gas.
1. Acquisition of water for drilling — is a permit required?
a. Yes, if appropriating waters of the state. SDCL 46-1-15.
b. Purchase from landowner.
2. Drilling water wells for steam or waterflood operations.
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B. Mining, dewatering both pits and underground. Anderson and Davis, "Water and Mineral Development Conflicts," 32 Rocky Mt. Min. L. Inst. 9-1 (1986); Browning, "Mine Dewatering: Water Right and Water Quality Issues," 38 Rocky Mt. Min. L. Inst. 24-1 (1992).
C. Acquisitions from agricultural ditch or water companies.
1. Article and by-law restrictions.
2. Beneficial use restrictions.
D. Water is not a mineral. Andrus v. Charlestone Stone Products, Inc., 436 U.S. 604 (1978).
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INTRODUCTION
This presentation on Western water law is divided into three main parts. The first section presents basic concepts of water law that are prevalent in the Western states. If any of these basic concepts or...
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