Opinion ID: 1165306
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The trial court's finding of estoppel

Text: Defendants finally attack the second paragraph of the trial court's judgment, which reads: Defendants having accepted and received the benefits of such Tripartite Agreement and the Repayment Contract, are estopped to deny that said contracts are no longer valid and enforceable against defendants and particularly the obligation that the Scofield Dam and Reservoir shall be operated in accordance with the Gooseberry Plan[.] Defendants argue that plaintiff failed to raise the issue of estoppel in the pleadings and that it is therefore precluded from doing so on appeal. The trial court's declaration concerning defendants' obligations with respect to the Gooseberry Project did not rest principally upon a theory of estoppel. Rather, the court appears to have relied upon statements of defendants' own counsel and upon the absence of evidence suggesting any alteration of defendants' clear obligations under the contracts, as shown by the following findings of the court: 20. As of the date of such assignment [to plaintiff], the United States considered the provisions of the Tripartite Agreement as in full force and effect; nor has the United States, since the execution of the said Tripartite Agreement and repayment agreement herein referred to, done anything to abrogate, rescind, waive or repudiate the provisions thereof or to release Defendants or either of them from their obligations thereunder. 21. In his oral argument before this Court on February 4, 1981, defense counsel acknowledged that the pertinent provisions of the Tripartite Agreement as regards the Gooseberry Project were binding upon the defendants Carbon Water Conservancy District and the predecessor in interest of the defendant Price River Water Users Association. The same reservations and limitations are contained in the repayment contract of February 28, 1944. 22. There is nothing in the record that would support a finding or determination that the provisions of the agreements referred to in Finding No. 21 are no longer valid or binding, or that any rights or obligations thereunder have been altered or abrogated. The preceding findings, even in the absence of any finding concerning estoppel on the part of defendants, would adequately support the trial court's conclusions concerning defendants' continued obligation under the tripartite contract. Because the trial court's estoppel theory does not constitute a necessary part of its declaratory judgment, we need not address the propriety of the court's use of estoppel terminology. We affirm the declaratory judgment of the trial court as modified above. STEWART, OAKS, HOWE and DURHAM, JJ., concur.