Opinion ID: 2498928
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Violation of Paragraph 8(q)

Text: [¶ 35] Based on this Court's interpretation of Paragraph 8(q), the question before the district court on summary judgment was whether the as-built survey that Rockies Express gave Berthel provided Berthel with the required measurement along the ground surface, that is, contour measurements. On this question, Berthel submitted to the district court the affidavit of its engineering expert, James Murphy, and the deposition testimony of Mark Miller, the professional land surveyor who performed all surveying work for Rockies Express on the Berthel ranch. The evidence from both of these witnesses indicated agreement that the as-built survey did not provide sufficient data to make the measurements and calculations required by Paragraph 8(q). [¶ 36] In his affidavit, James Murphy stated: I have personally reviewed the EXHIBIT A BERTHEL LAND AND LIVESTOCK, LTD 42 PIPELINE AS-BUILT PROFILE dated 06/22/07 (EXHIBIT 4). That profile cannot serve as or be utilized as, an accurate contour as-built survey of the pipeline, because of the lack of detail and/or small scale presented. The actual contour footage of the pipeline cannot be calculated based upon the reviewed document. The reviewed document does not specifically or accurately identify the depth of ground cover existing along the pipeline on the Plaintiff's ranch property. In order to accurately calculate the contour footage of the pipeline as constructed on the Plaintiff's ranch property, a much larger scale, greater detail, of the pipeline, as it has been located in the ditch, would be required, such as would be provided upon as-built alignment sheets. [¶ 37] Mark Miller testified: Q.    You can't calculate exactly that 114.2 linear contour rods of the pipeline from Exhibit A, can you? A. No. Q. Could you calculate that from the as-built onlyor as-built alignment sheet? A. I believe so. I believe they record 3D distances. Q. Could you calculate it better from the elevation spreadsheet? A. Yes. Q. What would be the best document in existence that you could calculate that A. The spreadsheet would be. Q. That contour elevation rod linear footage? A. Well, I say the spreadsheet would be, but you also have to combine that. The property line information is not in the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet only cares about the pipeline and so it has to beit's either going to have to be the alignment sheets or from a product that's specifically designed to do that. I would have to have a specific request for a profile with a specific level of detail so thatbasically so I knew what was being asked for. I'd have to have a specific request through the customer that this is what we want, please produce it. [¶ 38] In response, Rockies Express submitted to the district court a copy of the survey provided to Berthel, also known as Exhibit A, and a copy of a letter from Rockies Express advising Berthel that based on as-built calculations, Berthel was entitled to an additional payment of $403.41. [¶ 39] The evidence Rockies Express submitted on the question of the as-built liability was insufficient to raise an issue of fact. It simply did not confront, and left unopposed, the evidence of both James Murphy and Mark Miller that the required calculations could not be made from Exhibit A. We thus conclude that the record supports the district court's ruling that the undisputed evidence showed that Rockies Express failed to provide Berthel with an as-built survey showing the required measurement along the ground surface.