Opinion ID: 2355739
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Injunction and Stipulation

Text: Before the water court ruled on Anderson's application, Anderson moved for injunctive relief against Sebesta and Pursell claiming that he was not receiving his share of the water from the Eureka Ditch. Anderson argued that the reason for his shortfall was that Sebesta and Pursell had both added new ponds and expanded existing ones on their land, causing more water to sit in the ponds and less water to be delivered to Anderson. Sebesta responded to this motion but Pursell did not. The water court granted the injunction in November 2003, and ordered Sebesta and Pursell to cease diverting and storing the water and to affirmatively deliver one-half of the flow of the Eureka Ditch to Anderson. In so doing, the water court ordered Sebesta and Pursell to by-pass their ponds to ensure that Anderson would receive his share. The water court also awarded attorney fees to Anderson for the injunction. Sebesta filed a timely Motion to Alter, Amend or Vacate the injunction. Pursell also filed a Motion to Alter, Amend or Vacate, but did so after the fifteen-day deadline. Before the water court ruled on either of the motions, Anderson and Sebesta entered into a stipulation in April, 2004. In the stipulation, Anderson agreed to dismiss the water court's injunction order against Sebesta. In exchange, Sebesta dismissed his opposition to Anderson's application. Sebesta and Anderson also agreed to reasonably accommodate each other's ownership interests in times of low flow and to cooperate in constructing and installing additional structures to facilitate the delivery of Anderson's 50% interest. The stipulation did not require Sebesta to by-pass the ponds on his land. The water court accepted the stipulation. Neither the injunction nor the stipulation affected Anderson's pending application.