Opinion ID: 880166
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Previous Case Law

Text: As noted in American Falls, this Court has previously stated the appropriate evidentiary standard to be used under the CM Rules. In Moe v. Harger, this Court dealt with a conflict between senior and junior appropriators of surface water from the Big Lost River. 10 Idaho 302, 77 P. 645 (1904). In Moe, the junior appropriators sought to divert water from the river before the water reached Moe, the senior appropriator. Id. at 307, 77 P. at 646. This Court stated the issue as follows, “Appellants complain of the action of the trial court in incorporating in the decree in this case an order perpetually enjoining them from in any manner interfering with or diverting or using the waters of Lost river, except in accordance with the terms of the decree.” Id. at 306, 77 P. at 647. In upholding the injunction, this Court stated as follows: So soon as the prior appropriation and right of use is established, it is clear, as a proposition of law, that the claimant is entitled to have sufficient of the unappropriated waters flow down to his point of diversion to supply his right, and an injunction against interference therewith is proper protective relief to be granted. The subsequent appropriator who claims that such diversion will not 25 injure the prior appropriator below him should be required to establish that fact by clear and convincing evidence. Id. at 307, 77 P. at 647 (emphasis added). In weighing the evidence, this Court determined that clear and convincing evidence was necessary for the junior appropriators to prevail: This court has uniformly adhered to the principle, announced both in the Constitution and by the statute, that the first appropriator has the first right; and it would take more than a theory, and in fact clear and convincing evidence, in any given case, showing that the prior appropriator would not be injured or affected by the diversion of a subsequent appropriator, before we would depart from a rule so just and equitable in its application, and so generally and uniformly applied by the courts. Id. at 307, 77 P. at 646–47. This Court next addressed the standard of proof in Josslyn v. Daly, 15 Idaho 137, 96 P. 568 (1908). One of the issues in that case was the right to water from a spring and a lake located in a valley through which a creek flowed. Id. at 147, 96 P. at 571. The trial court held that the spring was not tributary to the creek and that all waters used by the plaintiff-respondent from the lake flowed back into the creek, without lessening or diminishing the flow in the creek. Id. at 148, 96 P. at 571. It therefore held that the plaintiff was entitled to use the water from the spring and the lake. Id. We held that because the case had to be retried on other issues, “we think it best to also order a new trial as to the volume and flow of water from this spring and lake, and also on the issue as to whether these are in fact tributary and feeders to the waters of Seaman’s creek.” Id. We then held that where a junior appropriator seeks to divert water from tributaries to the main stream, the junior appropriator must prove by clear and convincing evidence that it does not diminish the volume of water in the main stream. We stated: It seems self-evident that to divert water from a stream or its supplies or tributaries must in a large measure diminish the volume of water in the main stream, and where an appropriator seeks to divert water on the grounds that it does not diminish the volume in the main stream or prejudice a prior appropriator, he should, as we observed in Moe v. Harger, 10 Ida. 305, 77 Pac. 645, produce “clear and convincing evidence showing that the prior appropriator would not be injured or affected by the diversion.” The burden is on him to show such facts. Id. at 149, 96 P. at 571–72 (emphasis added). Subsequently, this Court’s opinion in Hill v. Green, “involve[d] the right to the use of certain of the waters of Indian Creek, a tributary of Medicine Lodge Creek, in Clark county.” 47 Idaho 157, 158, 274 P. 110, 110 (1928). After the spring runoff, “a great part of Indian Creek becomes wholly lost by percolation into its [porous] bed before its juncture with Medicine Lodge 26 Creek.” Id. at 159, 274 P. at 110. The junior appropriators and their predecessors in interest constructed irrigation works to divert water from Indian Creek, and the senior appropriators, who had prior rights in Medicine Lodge Creek, contended that the junior appropriators were taking water that would eventually flow into Medicine Lodge Creek. The district court found that the junior appropriators were not taking any water that would ultimately be available for use by the senior appropriators. It found that “the water table in this vicinity is such that no water lost by percolation ever finds its way back into the bed of Indian Creek or into Medicine Lodge Creek, nor is there any subterranean flow supporting the surface flow.” Id. The senior appropriators appealed, stating that the two issues on appeal were: First, whether or not respondents, as a matter of law, can gain a superior right over prior appropriators from Medicine Lodge Creek by salvaging the waters as in their complaint alleged; and, second, if such a superior right can be so acquired, is the evidence of that clear and convincing kind required to justify the court in awarding them such a superior right. Id. at 160, 274 P. at 110 (emphasis added). This Court affirmed the district court, stating: There is no question but that the burden of proof rested upon respondents to show by competent evidence that the water salvaged by them had not theretofore been appropriated or used by others with prior rights. It being shown, however, that the water salvaged would not, if undisturbed, reach the point of diversion of prior appropriators, their supply would not be decreased, and they have therefore, no cause for complaint. Id. at 160, 274 P. at 111. In Silkey v. Tiegs, we again addressed the standard of proof, this time in administering water rights between or among groundwater users. 54 Idaho 126, 28 P.2d 1037 (1934). The users’ respective water rights had been previously adjudicated, and the court retained jurisdiction for two years to determine whether there was sufficient subterranean water for the junior appropriators to take any water from their wells. Id. at 127, 28 P.2d at 1037. Prior to the expiration of that two-year period, the junior appropriators filed a motion contending that the prior appropriator had never been able to obtain more than 21 inches of the 40 inches of water she had been decreed, that there were at least 140 inches of water available in the aquifer, and that they should be permitted to withdraw at least 60 inches of water because it would not harm the senior appropriator. Id. at 128, 28 P.2d at 1037–38. The trial court denied their motion, and the junior appropriators appealed. We affirmed the standard of proof that they were required to 27 show by clear and convincing evidence that their withdrawal of the water would not harm the senior appropriator. The trial court by denying appellants’ motion herein indicated he was not satisfied the provisional tests entitled them to more water, without interference with respondent’s prior right. The burden was on appellants herein to sustain their motion by direct and convincing testimony, this language in Moe v. Harger, 10 Idaho 302, 77 P. 645, being particularly apt: “This court has uniformly adhered to the principle announced both in the constitution and by the statute that the first appropriator has the first right; and it would take more than a theory, and, in fact, clear and convincing evidence, in any given case, showing that the prior appropriator would not be injured or affected by the diversion of a subsequent appropriator, before we would depart from a rule so just and equitable in its application and so generally and uniformly applied by the courts. Theories neither create nor produce water, and when the volume of a stream is diverted and seventy-five per cent of it never returns to the stream, it is pretty clear that not exceeding twenty-five per cent of it will ever reach the settler and appropriator down the stream and below the point of diversion by the prior user.” Id. at 128–29, 28 P.2d at 1038 (citation omitted) (emphasis added). We again affirmed the clear and convincing standard of proof in Cantlin v. Carter. 88 Idaho 179, 397 P.2d 761 (1964). There, the appellant had obtained a permit to appropriate water from what he described as a swamp. Id. at 182, 397 P.2d at 762. Prior appropriators of water from a ditch objected on the ground that the water sought to be appropriated was seepage water from the ditch which they used. Id. The State Reclamation Engineer canceled the permit, and the matter was appealed. Id. at 182, 397 P.2d at 762–63. We affirmed, and in doing so reaffirmed the clear and convincing standard of proof stated in Moe v. Harger, Josslyn v. Daly, and Silkey v. Tiegs: A subsequent appropriator attempting to justify his diversion has the burden of proving that it will not injure prior appropriations. Moe v. Harger, 10 Idaho 302, 77 P. 645; Josslyn v. Daly, 15 Idaho 137, 96 P. 568; Jackson v. Cowan, 33 Idaho 525, 196 P. 216; Silkey v. Tiegs, 54 Idaho 126, 28 P.2d 1037. In Josslyn v. Daly, supra, at 15 Idaho 149, 96 P. at 571, this court stated: ‘   It seems self-evident that to divert water from a stream or its supplies or tributaries must in a large measure diminish the volume of water in the main stream, and, where an appropriator seeks to divert water on the grounds that it does not diminish the volume in the main stream or prejudice a prior appropriator, he should, as we observed in Moe v. Harger, 10 Idaho 305, 77 Pac. 645, produce ‘clear and convincing evidence showing that the prior appropriator 28 would not be injured or affected by the diversion.’ The burden is on him to show such facts.’ Id. at 186–87, 397 P.2d at 765–66.