Opinion ID: 889492
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Existence of Genuine Issues of Material Fact Precluding Summary Judgment on the Navigability of the Clark Fork, Missouri, and Madison Rivers

Text: ถ 102 On appeal, PPL argues it has shown that genuine issues of material fact exist regarding the navigability of each of these rivers. PPL notes that its expert, Dr. Emmons, rendered an expert opinion declaring that each of these rivers were non-navigable at the time of statehood, and based his opinions on the following sources: (1) a 1910 federal court decree declaring portions of the Clark Fork non-navigable; (2) a congressional report based on a 1930's Corps of Engineers survey stating that the Madison river has never been historically navigated and that commercial navigation on this river was entirely out of the question; and (3) historic reports from the Corps of Engineers that the Great Falls Reach of the Missouri is unnavigable, and that Stubbs Ferry Reach could only be made navigable at great cost. Additionally, PPL notes that its fluvial geomorphologist, Dr. Schumm, opined that the presence of PPL's Hebgen and Madison Dams on the Madison in the early 20th century materially changed the flow characteristics of this river. Based on historic evidence of river depth, flow histograms, and stage-discharge curves, Dr. Schumm opined that the Madison was not susceptible to navigation at the time of statehood. See Opinion, ถ 32. ถ 103 Setting aside the fact that PPL relies upon precisely the type of second-hand historical information which it has argued at length is unreliable and inadmissible in the summary judgment context, we hold that this evidence was simply insufficient to raise a genuine issue of material fact regarding navigability on the Clark Fork, Missouri, and Madison Rivers. With respect to the Missouri, the obstructions of the Great Falls Reach were insufficient to defeat a finding of navigability, because they were portaged by the Lewis and Clark expedition, and many others, early in the 19th century, allowing the Missouri to provide a useful channel of commerce. With respect to the Clark Fork and Madison River, PPL's sole evidentiary basis for raising a genuine issue of material fact consists of conclusory statements regarding the navigability of portions of these rivers made by a federal district court in 1910, and Corps of Engineers in the 1930s. Such conclusory statements, without any specific factual support, are insufficient as a matter of law to raise genuine issues of material fact. The fact that these statements were made in the early 1900's does not somehow cure them of their conclusory nature and lack of specific factual basis. See Tin Cup, ถ 54. ถ 104 Dr. Schumm's expert opinion regarding the flow changes in the Madison River since the time of statehood likewise does not raise a genuine issue of material fact regarding its susceptibility for commerce at the time Montana became a state. The present-day recreational use is sufficient for purposes of commerce under Utah and Ahtna. The fact that the seasonal variations on the Madison River have been altered to depths of less than 1 foot by the presence of dams, fails to demonstrate that the Madison was not susceptible for use as a channel of commerce at the time of statehood. Indeed, so long as the Madison was susceptible for use during portions of the year, it is considered navigable at the time of statehood under the navigability for title test. See Utah, 283 U.S. at 87, 51 S.Ct. at 445 (noting that a river can be generally considered navigable unless its use is exceptional, being practicable only in times of temporary highwater.). ถ 105 Finally, PPL argues virtually every stretch of a river must be navigable in fact and that particular stretches of a river which are non-navigable due to their physical characteristics can defeat a finding of navigability with respect to the whole river, or require a piecemeal classification of navigabilityโwith some stretches declared navigable, and others declared non-navigable. The source for this argument derives from Utah. In that case, the United States Supreme Court considered the navigability of rivers within the state of Utah of which the United States government sought title. The United States sought to quiet Utah's title to certain sections of portions of the Green, Colorado, and San Juan Rivers in Utah. Utah, 283 U.S. at 71, 51 S.Ct. at 439. A special master had been appointed to enter findings of fact regarding these rivers, some of which contained long stretches of non-navigable waters. Specifically, the special master found that a roughly 40-mile stretch of the Colorado River, beginning at the confluence of the Green and Grand Rivers in Utah, was non-navigable. Utah, 283 U.S. at 79, 51 S.Ct. at 442. The state of Utah challenged the special master's findings only with respect to the first 4.35 miles of this stretch of the Colorado. Utah, 283 U.S. at 80, 51 S.Ct. at 442. ถ 106 The United States Supreme Court did consider the navigability with regard to certain sections of the rivers, as opposed to the rivers themselves as a whole. However, the Utah Court also emphasized the limited applicability of its approach in the following terms: In the present instance, the controversy relates only to the sections of the rivers which are described in the complaint, and the master has limited his findings and conclusions as to navigability accordingly. The propriety of this course, in view of the physical characteristics of the streams, is apparent. Even where the navigability of a river, speaking generally, is a matter of common knowledge, and hence one of which judicial notice may be taken, it may yet be a question, to be determined upon evidence, how far navigability extends. The question here is not with respect to a short interruption of navigability in a stream otherwise navigable, or of a negligible part, which boats may use, of a stream otherwise nonnavigable. We are concerned with long reaches with particular characteristics of navigability or nonnavigability, which the master's report fully describes. Utah, 283 U.S. at 77, 51 S.Ct. at 441 (footnotes omitted) (emphasis added). The United States Supreme Court ultimately agreed with the state of Utah that the first 4.35 miles of the disputed stretch were navigable and reversed the findings of the special master on this point. Utah, 283 U.S. at 89-90, 51 S.Ct. at 446. ถ 107 PPL urges this Court to rely upon Utah and declare certain portions of the rivers at issue in this caseโsuch as the Great Falls Reach of the Missouri River and the rapids and the obstructions to navigation in the vicinity of PPL's Thompson Falls Project on the Clark Fork Riverโnon-navigable. We decline the invitation to do so, and find PPL's reliance on Utah misplaced. In Utah, the overall non-navigability of the 40-mile stretch of the Colorado River was not disputed by either party, and was never ruled upon by the Supreme Court itself. Instead, the state of Utah merely disputed whether the first 4.35 miles of this stretch were non-navigable. Furthermore, as the Utah Court made clear, the section-by-section approach does not apply to short interruption[s] of navigability in a stream otherwise navigable.. . . Utah, 283 at 77, 51 S.Ct. at 441. In Utah there was no evidence presented that the remaining non-navigable 36-mile stretch of the Colorado was ever successfully portaged, or that it was merely a short interruption in the overall navigability of this portion of the Colorado River. ถ 108 Here, PPL has not put forth any evidence whatsoever of long reaches of non-navigability but instead merely points to relatively short interruptions in the Clark Fork, Missouri, and Madison Rivers which impede uninterrupted navigation, but do not affect the actual use or susceptibility of use of these rivers as channels for commerce in Montana at the time of statehood. The Great Falls Reach, even though a roughly 17-mile stretch of the Missouri River, is merely a short interruption in the use of the Missouri as a channel for useful commerce, as evidenced by the Lewis and Clark expedition's portage of this area, and the well-documented actual use of the Missouri subsequent thereto. See e.g. Mont. Power Co., 185 F.2d at 493-94. The same is true with respect to the Clark Fork Riverโeven though there are interruptions to unimpeded navigation on this river in the vicinity of PPL's Thompson Falls project, the actual use of the Clark Fork is documented from the Pend Oreille Lake at least to this river's confluence with the Blackfoot River. PPL's dams on the Madison River are also merely short interruptions in the navigation of this river as well. The present-day usage of the Madison is probative as to its susceptibility of use at the time of statehood, and it is self-evident that any obstructions on the Madison do not defeat its current use as a channel for commerce within the state of Montana. ถ 109 PPL's evidence of relatively short interruptions of navigability in the rivers at issue is insufficient as a matter of law under Utah to declare any portions of these rivers non-navigable. Furthermore, under Utah 's expansive definition of the susceptible of use standard, it is equally clear that the present-day usage of the Madison, Clark Fork, and Missouri Rivers demonstrates that these rivers were susceptible of providing a useful channel of commerce throughout the state of Montana at the time of statehood.