Opinion ID: 1559181
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Voluntary Assumption

Text: Finally, the farmers contend that APCo voluntarily assumed a duty to operate Martin Dam for flood control during the summer months. For purposes of this argument, the farmers define flood control and APCo's resulting duty as the maintenance of a lake level at Martin reservoir between 487 and 488 feet, so as to allow 2 to 3 feet of storage in the reservoir. The basis for the scope of this duty apparently rests on the testimony of the farmers' expert that APCo should have maintained two to three feet of storage in the Martin reservoir. The farmers also argue that flood control includes pre-evacuation of the reservoir to create additional storage before a flood event. The farmers argue that APCo assumed this duty by voluntarily maintaining the lake level at Martin reservoir at 489.5 feet during the summer months, thus providing.5 feet of storage space in the reservoir. The farmers also note that one of APCo's representatives testified that APCo in fact operated Martin Dam for flood-control purposes all year and that flood control involved minimizing downstream floods. An APCo representative also testified that APCo did, at times, pre-evacuate the Martin reservoir to create storage space in anticipation of flood events. Based on these facts, the farmers contend that APCo voluntarily assumed the duty of flood control defined above. APCo denies that its voluntary maintenance of .5 feet of storage space imposed on it an obligation to maintain 2 to 3 feet of storage space. It also notes that its representatives testified that the .5 feet of storage space was used for multiple project purposes, including, but not limited to, flood control. Also, the record shows that another of APCo's representatives testified that flood control involved only reducing outflows, not minimizing floods. Furthermore, the record shows that the .5 feet of storage space is within the operating curve stated in the 1978 FERC license whereas any duty to operate Martin reservoir between 487 and 488 feet would require APCo to maintain a lake level below that specified in the operating curve. This Court has stated: Alabama clearly recognizes the doctrine that one who volunteers to act, though under no duty to do so, is thereafter charged with the duty of acting with due care and is liable for negligence in connection therewith. Dailey v. City of Birmingham, 378 So.2d 728, 729 (Ala.1979). However, the existence of a voluntarily assumed duty through affirmative conduct is a matter for determination in light of all the facts and circumstances. Parker v. Thyssen Mining Constr., Inc., 428 So.2d 615, 618 (Ala. 1983). The relevant inquiry often involves the scope, as well as the existence, of the duty assumed. See, e.g., Springhill Hosps., Inc. v. Larrimore, 5 So.3d 513, 516 (Ala.2008) (noting that the scope of a pharmacist's voluntary undertaking is a fact-specific inquiry); Dailey v. Housing Auth. for Birmingham Dist., 639 So.2d 1343, 1346 (Ala.1994) (discussing the limits of the scope of a duty voluntarily assumed where landlord hired security guard); Hodge v. United States Fid. & Guar. Co., 539 So.2d 229, 230 (Ala.1989) (workers' compensation insurance case in which this Court noted that the plaintiff bears the burden of proving the scope of the duty voluntarily assumed). Furthermore, the underlying principle that the existence of a duty is a question of law for the court to resolve applies. Baugus v. City of Florence, 985 So.2d 413, 419 (Ala.2007) We must determine whether, by maintaining.5 feet of storage space in Martin reservoir, APCo voluntarily assumed a legal duty to maintain 2 to 3 feet of storage, approximately 4 to 6 times as much. The farmers cite Kunz v. Utah Power & Light Co., 526 F.2d 500 (9th Cir.1975), to support their argument; however, they do not point to any Alabama law discussing the voluntary assumption of flood-control obligations. In Kunz, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit concluded that the operator of a dam had voluntarily assumed a duty of flood control where it had altered water flows and regularly stored runoff from melting snow each spring. 526 F.2d at 501-03. The Ninth Circuit noted that, in reliance on the activities of the operator of the dam, the plaintiffs in Kunz had changed their farming operations. 526 F.2d at 502. Accordingly, the Ninth Circuit concluded that a relationship existed between the dam operator and the plaintiffs such that the dam operator owed a duty to the plaintiffs to reduce flooding. 526 So.2d at 503. Most of the circumstances present in Kunz are not present in this action. No evidence shows that APCo regularly operated Martin Dam with 2 to 3 feet of storage during the months of May and July; in fact, the evidence showed that APCo annually operated Martin reservoir within.5 feet of full pool. Additionally, the farmers did not present any evidence indicating that they had altered their farming operations or any other use of their property in relation to APCo's activities. No evidence supports the conclusion that a relationship existed between APCo and the farmers similar to the relationship upon which the Ninth Circuit based its decision in Kunz. Applying general principles regarding the voluntary assumption of a duty and the scope of the duty assumed, we cannot say that, by voluntarily maintaining .5 feet of storage for purposes not limited to flood control, APCo assumed a duty to maintain 2 to 3 feet of storage dedicated to flood control. In so concluding, we are mindful of the fact that operating Martin Dam to attain such storage would require APCo to maintain a lake level below the operating curve established by the FERC and approved by the Corps of Engineers. We are also mindful of the delicate balancing of interests between upstream and downstream landowners along the Tallapoosa River basin. The balancing of those interests is subject to federal regulations and has been challenged, negotiated, and agreed upon by various individuals and entities during the last several decades. The farmers have not presented adequate authority justifying this Court's interference with the regulation and previous balancing of such interests. Accordingly, we decline to recognize a voluntary assumption of a duty of flood control.