Document: 531 U.S. 425121 S.Ct. 1005148 L.Ed.2d 919 NOTICE: This opinion is subject to formal revision before publication in the preliminary print of United States Reports. Readers are requested notify Reporter Decisions, Supreme Court States, Washington, D. C. 20543, any typographical or other errors, order that corrections may be made goes press.CENTRAL GREEN CO., PETITIONERv.UNITED STATES No. 99-859. SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED Argued October 30, 2000 Decided February 21, 2001 Syllabus The Madera Canal, a federal facility leased Irrigation District (MID), flows through petitioner's California orchards. Petitioner brought suit against respondent and MID alleging their negligence canal's design, construction, maintenance caused subsurface flooding resulting damage orchards increased operating costs for petitioner. complaint sought damages under Federal Tort Claims Act relief. Relying on immunity granted by Flood Control 1928, 33 U.S.C. 702c-which states "[n]o liability kind shall attach rest upon from floods flood waters at place"-the moved judgment pleadings. dismissed because parties agreed canal was part Friant Division Central Valley Project, control one project's purposes. Ninth Circuit affirmed, holding although serves no purpose, attached solely it branch larger project. Held: In determining whether 702c attaches, courts should consider character cause relevant purposes behind release rather than relation between Pp. 3-12. (a) A passage v. James, 478 597, 605-which "clear 702c's plain language terms 'flood' 'flood waters' apply all contained carried project related control"-lends support Circuit's holding, but unquestionably dictum. It therefore appropriate resort statute's text, as illuminated James isolated comment, determine water flowing allegedly damaged covered 702c. holding-that phrase "flood waters" encompasses released when reservoired stage-is vastly different reading 702c, which attaches simply Canal 3-6. (b) To characterize every drop immense Project water" among its unnecessarily dilutes language. text does not include words project," but, rather, "any waters." 7-9. (c) Neither nor even arguably supports Government's conclusion must canal, if never approached stage terminus parched end summer. Accordingly, disavows "related to" portion James' dicta. 9-11. (d) Because question decided pleadings, using an incorrect test without benefit evidentiary hearing further factual development, case remanded proceedings. 11-12. 177 F.3d 834, reversed remanded. CERTIORARI TO APPEALS FOR NINTH CIRCUIT Stevens, J., delivered unanimous Court. Opinion Justice Stevens 1 Incident authorization massive Mississippi River Congress enacted provision stated place." 45 Stat. 535, amended, At issue this meaning "floods narrow presented those encompass designed operated, least part, Circuit, relying broader construction some have adopted, concluded they do. We certiorari resolve conflict, 529 1017 (2000), now reverse. 2 * owns 1,000 acres pistachio California's San Joaquin Valley. has been property. 1996, petitioner action had did allege physical failure dam Act, 28 2671 et seq., well injunctive 3 Accepting submission used irrigation purposes, nevertheless Court's decision dictated earlier case, held " 'project events giving rise were wholly unrelated project,' necessarily attached.1 4 On appeal, affirmed. with "serves purpose," "solely Project." 839 (1999). As put it, "[a]lthough purpose control, 'not unrelated' control." Ibid. (emphasis added). so however, court recognized Government would probably enjoyed three Circuits where require nexus activities harm done plaintiff.2 Noting "harsh result [the] decision," frankly acknowledged "[t]he applied circuits reads broadly already written grant immunity." recognized, such test, there seem "set facts government immune arising time passed project." II 5 Not until more half century after enactment occasion interpret consolidated out two separate accidents, we section "bars recovery otherwise liable personal injury negligent warn dangers floodwaters projects." 599 (1986). 6 principal statutory word "damage" encompassed just property damage, also injuries death. light legislative history, reviewed length, id., 606-609, 610-612, best both less literal, claims cases 7 instances, turbulent current generated unwarned releases reservoir Army Corps Engineers determined stage." fact undisputed.3 opinion, statute accidents "injuries occurred reservoirs reached Id., 604. 8 Nevertheless, included lends case. passage, wrote: 9 "Nor do create uncertainty context ones these cases. concerns projects carry floodwaters. thus clear cannot 605 added).4 10 sentence italicized and, particular, control" conflicting opinions Courts Appeals. attempt make sense what admittedly confusing dicta, focused relates some, often tenuous, way project, waters."5 However, pointed that, read literally, sweeps little sense.6 Moreover, dictum essential our disposition issues contested James.7 statute, See Humphrey's Executor 295 602, 627 (1935) (dicta "may followed sufficiently persuasive" binding). Bancorp Mortgage Co. Bonner Mall Partnership, 513 18, 24 (1994). 11 narrowly confined unable stage. That served differs attenuated fact-specific position advanced Government, us take judicial notice evidence indeed, itself can serve ultimately conclude upheld either rationale, begin description explanation basis submission. III 12 observing asset. 1927 example former. turn led 1928 Act. Similar, though extreme, Sacramento Rivers provided important motivation Project. Although completely eliminated river, succeeded converting huge into immensely valuable Jackson described magnitude transformation his Gerlach Live Stock Co., 339 725 (1950): 13 "This gigantic undertaking redistribute fresh-water resources California. vast basin, stretching over 400 miles polar axis hundred width, heart Bounded Sierra Nevada east coastal ranges west, consists actually river valleys merge single pass sea Golden Gate. Its rich acres, counted millions, deficient rainfall remain generally arid unfruitful unless artificially watered. 14 . 15 "To available greatest service, State proposed re-engineer natural distribution. taken 1935 since enterprise. plan, broad outline, capture store rivers many tributaries highland basins, taking advantage head generation electric energy. [T]he will arrested Friant, leave mountains, diverted north south system canals sold irrigate million land, far 160 away. cost refreshing great expanse semiarid land except occasional spills, only dry bed cross below dam. Here, surplus utilized, 150-mile pumped cultivated lands formerly dependent Joaquin." 728-729. 16 "The basin development envisions, sense, integrated undertaking, aggregate subsidiary projects, each first magnitude. thirty-eight major dams bordering valley floor scores smaller waters. contemplates twenty-eight hydropower generating stations. includes hundreds main canals, thousands laterals drains, transmission feeder lines substations, network structures use irrigated, newly 360,000 delta needing protection intrusions salt water, municipal miscellaneous including cities, towns, duck clubs game refuges. These widely separated geographically, them physically independent operation, authorized acts year constructed times considerable span years." 733. 17 Jackson's makes proposition perfectly clear: statute. Rather, ." directs scope conferred, serves, release. IV 18 asked certain basic about division particularly, Canal. opportunity challenge details remand, accept opinion. 19 supplying north, south. From headwaters Mountains, southwesterly direction reservoir, known Millerton Lake, above Dam. storage capacity 520,500 acre-feet water. years, total flow produce amount, average, annual apparently approximates 31/2 reservoir's capacity. Water outlets send down River, direct northwest, Friant-Kern southeast. When level exceeds 578 feet, dam's spillway Joaquin. point, accommodate 8,000 cubic feet per second flooding. 1,200 second, another 4,500 second. Thus, 13,700 directions appear water." 20 40 primarily enters Dam purchased farmers who immediately future use. result, amount quantity Chowchilla terminus.8 Except years extreme drought, provides contracting "a dependable supply" approximately 138,000 "Class addition, "if, as, available," sells price lower Class "uncertainty availability occurrence."9 again literal seems none 21 class River. points out, excess given amounts 2,380 day, entirely possible year, several papers submitted could causing anything approaching flood. according divert might canal. Under approach, true Admittedly, neither itself, strange conclusion. disavow V 22 raise difficult continuous repeated occurring period single, discrete incident. relatively easy particular water," directed power company commercial electricity not, Henderson 965 F.2d 1488 (CA8 1992). is, simple matter routine trickle. serious occur 1997 creates distinct possibility surged harmed 23 For present merely hold error motion pleadings informed governs States' "by Appeals reversed, proceedings consistent 25 ordered. NOTES: App. Pet. Cert. (quoting Washington East Columbia Basin Dist., 105 517, 520 (1997)). Citing Fryman 901 79 (CA7 1990); Boyd 881 895 (CA10 1989); Hayes 585 701 (CA4 1978), specifically identified Fourth, Seventh, Tenth likely result. arose incident Millwood Arkansas, "the Reservoir designated stage.' function facility, began tainter gates. created swift, strong toward underwater discharge." U.S., 599. Bayou Courtableau "were 601. found 'gates opened prevent inundation landside drainage structure.' 602 appended footnote pointing "released facilities flooding" findings "and assumed 'the [consolidated] floodwaters.' 606, n. 7. See, e.g., 517 (CA9 1997); Williams 957 742 1992); Dawson 894 70 (CA3 DeWitt Bank & Trust 878 246 1989). overinclusive. Judge Easterbrook out: 'management project' building roads reach beaches hiring staff run If allow walrus-sized pothole swallow tourists' cars beach, tree-trimmer's car careen picnickers, 'associated with' control. They within boundaries effort curtail happened. Yet nothing management waters, hard conceive 'damage 702c.' 79, 81 1990). More approach inconsistent infra, 9. "Other recognize sweeping Act." Cantrell Dept. Engineers, 89 268, 271 (CA6 1996). Fryman, F.2d, ("James literally"). addition concluding death, rejected previously arguable propositions subsequent waiver sovereign impliedly repealed 702c; westerly Joaquin, northwesterly point. exceptional circumstances, contractors obligated buy time. still pay regardless potential inconvenience respect timing date delivery.

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