Opinion ID: 2569613
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: weaver's interference with stafford's water rights

Text: Stafford asserts Weaver made changes to the irrigation lateral which provided water to the Weaver Laster Lane and Stafford properties. Stafford specifically alleges that Weaver tiled some portions of the irrigation lateral, replaced the T-box with a new concrete collection box and installed PVC pipes to irrigate one of Weaver's fields with water from the irrigation lateral. Stafford also alleges that Weaver changed the elevation of the ground around the irrigation lateral, lowered the irrigation lateral, blocked the outlet from the new concrete collection box which would have served Stafford's property and filled the area between the new concrete collection box and Stafford's property with gravel, all of which prevented Stafford from receiving water. Stafford argues the district judge erred by holding Stafford was barred from recovery under I.C. § 42-1207 because he did not have a ditch in place to receive water. Stafford also argues the district judge erred by determining Weaver did not intentionally or negligently interfere with Stafford's appropriative water rights. A. I.C. § 42-1207 Idaho Code § 42-1207 prohibits altering an irrigation ditch in a manner which impedes the flow of water or otherwise injure[s] any person or persons using or interested in such lateral ditch. Stafford failed to introduce any evidence of the historic flow rate of water to the Stafford property before and after Weaver's changes. Dorothy Bright, however, whose property receives water from the new concrete collection box through an outlet at the same level in the collection box as the outlet to the Stafford property, testified that she received more water after Weaver's changes. In addition, Stafford cannot maintain that he was interested in receiving water from the irrigation lateral when, in the fall of 1994, Stafford filled in the ditch that would have received water from the concrete collection box. Stafford, therefore, cannot recover under I.C. § 42-1207. B. Negligent interference with appropriative water rights The elements of common law negligence include (1) a duty, recognized by law, requiring the defendant to conform to a certain standard of conduct; (2) a breach of duty; (3) a causal connection between the defendant's conduct and the resulting injuries; and (4) actual loss or damage. Brooks v. Logan, 127 Idaho 484, 489, 903 P.2d 73, 78 (1995). Here, Weaver incurred a statutory duty to avoid injury to Stafford when making changes to the irrigation lateral. Stafford fails to establish that Weaver breached that duty. Stafford argues that, without a shutoff mechanism on the PVC pipes which Weaver installed upstream from the concrete collection box, the concrete collection box would not fill to the top and Stafford would not receive water. Evidence at trial, however, included photographs showing the concrete collection box full to the top. Stafford also argues he was harmed by Weaver's installation of a concrete slab to block the collection box outlet to the Stafford property. Weaver removed the concrete slab and installed a pipe from the concrete collection box to the edge of Stafford's property. Stafford, however, filled in the ditch which would have received irrigation water from the pipe and carried it across Stafford's property. We therefore hold substantial and competent evidence supports the district judge's determination that Weaver did not intentionally or negligently interfere with Stafford's appropriative water rights.