Case Title: Ellis v. Alabama Power Co.

Citation: 431 So. 2d 1242

Docket Number: 

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 1983-05-20T00:00:00Z

Document:
431 So. 2d 1242 (1983)
E. Hoyt ELLIS, Lorene M. Ellis and Tom Ellis
v.
ALABAMA POWER COMPANY.
Francis H. AMASON and Shirley Amason
v.
ALABAMA POWER COMPANY.
Julia N. MARTIN
v.
ALABAMA POWER COMPANY.
Ambus FAGGARD and Katherine Faggard
v.
ALABAMA POWER COMPANY.
81-759 to 81-762.

Supreme Court of Alabama.
May 20, 1983.
*1243 B. Greg Wood, Talladega, for appellants.
Marshall Timberlake of Balch, Bingham, Baker, Hawthorne, Williams & Ward, Birmingham, for appellee.
BEATTY, Justice.
These four cases were consolidated for appeal following a grant of summary judgment in each case in favor of the defendant, Alabama Power Company (APCo). We affirm.
The question presented for review is whether APCo, when it operates its hydroelectric dams in accord with the Federal Power Commission license and the Department of Army regulations, is liable in an action for damages for negligence, trespass and/or nuisance.
The trial court's lengthy order in each of the four cases sets out the following summary of undisputed facts:
Plaintiffs/appellants contend that the trial court erred in granting APCo's motions for summary judgment in these cases. They claim that they are entitled to recover under three alternative theories; namely, (1) that APCo acted negligently in the operation of its dams; (2) that APCo trespassed upon plaintiffs' property by backing flood waters upon such property; and (3) that APCo, in the operation of its dams and reservoirs, created a private nuisance. We cannot agree.
We first address plaintiffs' count claiming nuisance. The trial court took judicial notice of the fact that the entire Mitchell Reservoir area as well as the upstream and downstream areas of the Alabama-Coosa River Basin were affected by the flooding complained of. It was undisputed that essentially all the property owners located on Mitchell Reservoir were flooded on April 13, 1979. Accordingly, we agree with the trial court that plaintiffs' count for private nuisance is barred by Code of 1975, § 6-5-121, which provides:
In addition this Court in Burnett v. Alabama Power Co., 199 Ala. 337, 74 So. 459 (1917), dealt with whether or not APCo's operation of its dams across a navigable waterway constituted a nuisance. In holding inter alia that APCo was not liable for flood damages, this Court stated:
Finally, it is uncontroverted that APCo operated its dam in accordance with the Department of the Army's flood control plan in adhering to the induced surcharge curve. Therefore, the damages were not caused, in fact, by any act of APCo. The undisputed facts show that "by following the Flood Control Plan during major flooding, the effect of the flooding will not be greater than that which would have occurred in the absence of the dam."
The trial court in addressing plaintiffs' count of trespass discussed at length the basis of recovery for damages under a claim by an upper riparian landowner and also under a claim by a lower riparian owner. We agree with this discussion and in our view summary judgment was properly granted on this count. It was undisputed that the outflow of Mitchell Dam was in excess of the rate of flow into Mitchell Reservoir from Lay Dam. The ultimate effect was that Mitchell Dam was mitigating the effects of the discharge from Lay Dam rather than aggravating the same.
In order for an upper riparian owner to recover damages for trespass, he must establish that not only did the dam back waters upon the plaintiffs' land, but moreover, that under the general definition of trespass such an action was unlawful or wrongful. Cox v. Stuart, 229 Ala. 409, 157 So. 460 (1934); Aiken v. McMillan, 213 Ala. 494, 106 So. 150 (1925); Black's Law Dictionary, p. 1347 (Rev. 5th ed. 1979). Plaintiffs have failed to produce such evidence. APCo contends, and we agree, that plaintiffs in this case more accurately fall into the category of lower riparian owners. The law in Alabama is clear than an action which asserts liability for damages for the release of water will not lie in the absence of negligence. This Court has consistently held that one who owns or operates a dam owes a duty to lower riparian owners only to exercise reasonable care in operating or maintaining the dam. Montgomery Light & Water Power Co. v. Charles, 258 F. 723 (M.D.Ala.1919); Sloss-Sheffield Steel & Iron Co. v. Wilson, 183 Ala. 411, 62 So. 802 (1913). The burden in this case was on plaintiffs to prove that the dam operator acted in a negligent manner and that such negligence caused the damage. Plaintiffs failed to establish negligence on the part of APCo and to overcome the causation obstacle that the construction and operation of the dams during the period in question did not result in any water flow being greater than would have occurred under natural conditions.
Plaintiffs claim that APCo negligently operated its dams and that APCo negligently failed "to exercise its power of eminent domain to purchase or condemn a sufficient easement" for hydroelectric purposes. The trial court's order states that
This Court in Law v. Gulf States Steel Co., 229 Ala. 305, 156 So. 835 (1934), held that a plaintiff cannot recover if the flood waters of a reservoir reached such a height that the plaintiffs' property would have been destroyed even if the dam did not exist.
We agree with the trial court's finding that plaintiffs failed to meet the burden of proof of negligence on behalf of APCo. The depositions and answers to interrogatories by the plaintiffs do not contain a scintilla of evidence in support of such a conclusion. Further, even assuming arguendo that there was a showing of negligence on the part of APCo, there was no showing by plaintiffs that this negligence proximately caused in fact the damage to their property (i.e. that absent the dams their property would not have been flooded to the same extent or perhaps more so).
As to the plaintiffs' claim that APCo negligently failed to exercise its right of eminent domain by acquiring additional flood easement, plaintiffs cite no proposition of law which holds that a utility has such a duty to a landowner. The trial court's order refers to Mr. Drago's deposition in stating that "the amount of easement acquired and the operation of a dam for flood control purposes are not related." He testified that only the "rain and the flow of the river" cause flooding, and that the amount of easement acquired would not have affected the elevation of the river on April 13, 1979, and the resulting property damage. Finally, the Federal Power Commission authorized and approved the amount of the easement acquired on certain of Alabama Power's reservoirs. For this reason and the other reason stated, APCo would be clearly exonerated from liability under the theories of negligence claimed by plaintiffs.
The defendant, APCo, has met the burden in these cases of demonstrating that there is no genuine issue of material fact and that it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Rule 56, A.R.Civ.P.; Kutack v. Winn-Dixie Louisiana, Inc., 411 So. 2d 137 (Ala.1982); Bryant v. Morley, 406 So. 2d 394 (Ala.1981). Our review of the record convinces us that the trial court correctly granted summary judgment. That judgment, therefore, must be, and is hereby, affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
TORBERT, C.J., and MADDOX, JONES and SHORES, JJ., concur.