Opinion ID: 2628535
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Are the district court's findings of fact clearly erroneous?

Text: [¶ 36] Earlier herein, we noted that the factual findings of a district court after a bench trial are presumptively correct and that we do not set them aside unless they are clearly erroneous. Ultra Res., 2010 WY 36, ¶ 97, 226 P.3d at 922-23. Before we can apply that review standard to the present issue, we must set out some factors that will limit our discussion. [¶ 37] First, as we recognized in Wilson II and the district court recognized upon remand, the Wilsons are precluded by the doctrines of res judicata and judicial estoppel from contesting Lucerne's historically defined use of the eastern channel as part of Lucerne's irrigation facilities. Wilson II, 2007 WY 10, ¶¶ 24, 28, 150 P.3d at 662-63, 664. In Wilson II, all that was remanded was the need for the district court to identify and locate that use as an easement. Therefore, the only findings of fact the Wilsons can be challenging herein are the findings of fact related to that identification and location. [4] [¶ 38] The second limiting factor in this analysis is the structure of the Wilsons' appellate brief. The brief sets out numerous separately listed issues, including the clearly erroneous issue, but the argument section of the brief is not arranged issue-by-issue, and nowhere does it list the specific findings of fact alleged to be clearly erroneous. This leaves the Court with the task of speculating, based upon the arguments made, what findings of fact the Wilsons believe are clearly erroneous. [5] [¶ 39] With those caveats, our review of the Wilsons' appellate brief, the district court's order, and the entire record, leads us to conclude that the Wilsons find the following findings of fact to be clearly erroneous: . . . . 9. Lucerne historically has used the eastern channel, wherever that channel is, to get water from its upper diversion to its final diversion. 10. [The] [e]astern channel has a definable bank on the east and north side, but generally does not have a definable bank on the south and west side. In many places the slope from the eastern channel to the south and west is very gradual. 11. The eastern channel is highly irregular in size and shape. Although the Supreme Court stated that is has been used as [a] canal, its physical characteristics are nothing like a canal. It is a naturally occurring river channel, without a significant bank or boundary in many place[s] on its south and west side. 12. Some free-board is necessary and appropriate to accommodate Lucerne's historic use of the eastern channel. In times of high river flows that free-board area has been used (i.e.: 1982-83 flows). 13. It is not reasonably possible to identify a line or high point on the south and west side of the eastern channel beyond which water has not flowed or would not be expected to flow as a result of Lucerne's full use of the eastern channel. . . . . 18. The location of any easement down the eastern channel is adequately described by referring to the eastern channel of the North Platte River. All witnesses were able to determine and discuss where the eastern channel is.[] 19. If a surveyed description of the area utilized by Lucerne is required, the description provided by Lucerne in Exhibit 2(a) adequately describes the area utilized by Lucerne, including a 3 foot free-board. That free-board may not be intentionally used by Lucerne to convey its water, but is a buffer for use during unforeseen high flows. The area Lucerne may intentionally use is limited to the location of the eastern channel without the 3 foot free-board. (Emphasis added.) [¶ 40] We will not analyze these findings individually because it is more instructive to view them collectively, in the context of the parties' positionspositions which the trial transcript reveals were the focus of the battle below. Lucerne contends that its historic use of the eastern channel, in whatever amount and wherever flowing at any given time, defines the extent of its easement. The Wilsons contend, to the contrary, that the easement should be limited to the much smaller area where water usually flows in the channel. That is the substance of this conflictLucerne wants the area of its use to remain unlimited, while the Wilsons want to limit that area. [¶ 41] When seen in this light, it is clear that the Wilsons are trying to do what they are estopped from doing; that is, they are asking the court to change Lucerne's historic use of the eastern channel from the unfettered flow of a natural watercourse, to the controlled flow of a canal. The district court recognized this fact and made findings of fact, based upon the record evidence, that supported the law of the case. All of the contested findings of fact are supported by the testimony of the surveyor and the former State Engineer, including the meandering nature of the eastern channel and the poorly defined western bank. The easement survey introduced by Lucerne was the only easement survey admitted into evidence, and witness testimony established its accuracy in identifying historic use. [¶ 42] One issuethat of freeboard perhaps deserves special comment. The surveyor added a three-foot vertical air space above the high water line of the easement because this Court had said in Wilson II that the channel was being used as a canal, and canal design parameters include a freeboard area above the expected high water flow to account for unforeseen high water events. Further, the surveyor believed the freeboard area would protect Lucerne from liability in the event of such an unforeseen event. The surveyor's testimony in regard to freeboard is instructive: Q And as you heard me say in my opening, it's basically air space, is it not? Above the high waterline, 3 foot, there is nothing there, is there, sir? A It is an operating area. It is a recommended operating area. It is a safety valve in canal facilities. All of them have it in the irrigation districts, Fort Laramie Canal. You cannot build a canal to transport irrigation water and not have some sort of safety valve, some sort of area. Yes, typically, that area would be air when everything is operating correctly, properly, normally, whatever you want to call it, yes; but when we have a maximum event of some sort where water may be introduced into the system or there is a failure in part of the system to disallow us from totally controlling the amount of water entering the channel, then you have a safety valve there to protect the adjoining area. . . . . A Freeboard is a design consideration in canals. It provides a number of safety factors and protections for the irrigation district in their operation of their facilities. It allows them to not have a perfect system, not to have total control over that system, be able to make some mistakes in how much water they let into the channel, also provides for space for incoming storm flows or some other type of flow so that it will not overflow the channel and do damage to their system or adjoining system. [¶ 43] What is most significant in respect to the freeboard area contained in the easement survey admitted into evidence, and included in the district court's order as an area that could not intentionally be used by Lucerne, but which existed only for unforeseen events, is that such comes as close as possible to duplicating the historic use of the eastern channel by Lucerne as a naturally flowing channel, as opposed to a designed canal. Lucerne never has had, and never will have, control over upstream events on the North Platte River. The freeboard concept adopted by the district court simply recognizes that fact and incorporates it into the resolution of this dispute. The district court's finding that the freeboard area was part of the historic use was not clearly erroneous.