Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/21pdf/143orig_1qm1.pdf
Page Number: 8.0

Cite as:  595 U. S. ____ (2021) 

5 

Opinion of the Court 

declined to  grant certiorari, 559 U. S. 904 (2010), and de-
nied without prejudice Mississippi’s request for leave to file
a bill of complaint, 559 U. S. 901 (2010). 

C 
In 2014, Mississippi again sought leave from this Court
to file a bill of complaint against Tennessee, Memphis, and 
MLGW.  That is the basis of this suit.  Mississippi’s com-
plaint alleges that MLGW “has forcibly siphoned into Ten-
nessee  hundreds  of  billions  of  gallons  of  high  quality 
groundwater  owned  by  Mississippi.”    Complaint  ¶23.    It 
says that MLGW’s “mechanical pumping” is to blame and 
that  the  “groundwater  taken  by  Defendants  from  within
Mississippi’s borders would have never under normal, nat-
ural circumstances been drawn into Tennessee.”  Id., ¶24.
This “wrongful taking,” the State contends, “is evidenced by
a  substantial  drop  in  pressure  and  corresponding  draw-
down of stored groundwater” in northwest Mississippi, and 
by  a  cone  of  depression  extending  miles  into  its  territory. 
Id., ¶25.  As a result, Mississippi says, it has to drill its own 
wells deeper to access the aquifer, and use more electricity 
to pump water to the surface.  Id., ¶54(b).

Mississippi  claims  an  absolute  “ownership”  right  to  all 
groundwater  beneath  its  surface—even  after  that  water 
has crossed its borders.  See id., ¶¶8–12, 39.  It argues that 
Tennessee’s pumping thus amounts to a tortious taking of 
property, and it seeks at least $615 million in damages.  See 
id., ¶¶55–56.  Mississippi expressly disclaims equitable ap-
portionment, arguing that the “fundamental premise of this 
Court’s equitable apportionment jurisprudence—that each
of  the  opposing  States  has  an  equality  of  right  to  use  the 
waters at issue—does not apply to this dispute.”  Id., ¶49.

We granted Mississippi leave to file its complaint and ap-
pointed Judge Eugene E. Siler, Jr., of the Sixth Circuit to
serve as Special Master.  He has ably discharged his duties.