Legal Document

414 U.S. 313 94 Supreme Court Reporter 517 38 United States Reports Lawyer’s Edition 2d Series KF101.8 U54 526 BONELLI CATTLE COMPANY et al., Petitioners,v.State of ARIZONA al. Number 72—397. Argued Oct. 15, 1973. Decided Dec. 17, Syllabus. Certain land abutting the east bank Colorado River was conveyed in 1910 by federal patent to a railroad company. Upon admission Union 1912 Arizona succeeded Federal Government title bed River. The river's gradual eastward movement submerged subject erosion so that mechanically transferred State as part reverbed. In 1955 petitioner cattle company acquired original grant, most which time covered water. 1959 abandoned result rechanneling project. Petitioner filed this action quiet and prevailed lower courts, but reversed, holding under equal-footing doctrine Submerged Lands Act, held beds all navigable waters within its borders thus movement. Held: 1. Ownership is governed law. issue here not what rights has accorded private owners lands holds sovereign how far State's right extends i.e., whether retains formerly beneath or thereto defeasible withdrawal those waters. Pp. 317 321. 2. does support claim, since when water receded from disputed land, there no longer public purpose be served State, thereto. 321—324. 3. Nor did abrogate law accretion, Act extend any interest rivers beyond afforded doctrine. 324—325. 4. Title applicable common law, vested riparian landowner owner riverbed. 325—332. (a) Analysis interests petitioner, light rationales for common-law doctrines accretion avulsion, compels conclusion that, between riverbed, owner, surfacing should treated an accretion; hence petitioner. 325—330. (b) avulsion (whereby ab avulsive change caused stream suddenly perceptively abandoning old channel affect boundary established former river remains at line, even if cut off landowner's rights) dows apply because limited property. 328—329. 107 Aria. 465, 489 Pacific Reporter, 2nd 699, 108 Ariz. 258, 495 1312, reversed remanded. Elmer C. Coker, Phoenix, Ariz., petitioners. Dale R. Shumway, respondents. Opinion MR. JUSTICE MARSHALL, announced BRENNAN. 1 question decision project vests Arizona, streams borders, company, rechanneling. 2 circumstances give rise case are follows. 1910, patent, larger parcel, Sante Fe Railroad A survey conducted 1905 1906, approved Surveyor General indicates date Santa parcel abutted River.1 1912, exact location relation property unclear record, it generally agreed 1903 (when rechanneled) moved gradually eastward, eroding depositing alluvion on west bank, resulting submergence land. As crept upland state-owned riverbed with it, transferring became State. operation Hoover Dam, begun 1938, reduced flow substantially decreased annual flood stage high-water mark. Nonetheless, 1955, Bonelli Cattle portion 60 acres southeast corner 1959, Bureau Reclamation Project deepened rechanneled area thereby confining property.2 3 1962, instant had withdrawn state trial court granted judgment against Arizona. Appeals, intermediate appellate court, affirmed, upholding Bonelli's contention changes were accretive, surfaced belonged Bonelli, avulsive, nonetheless reemergence.3 4 reversed,4 river. found rechannelization 'engineering relocation artificial means,' was, change, divest exposed been denied rehearing and, supplemental opinion, clarified extent dry owned State.5 It mark river, ownership extends, fixed natural existed before Dam.6 We certiorari, 410 908, 93 957, 35 269 (1973). hold narrowing belongs, owner. need not, therefore, reach properly determined average 5 * first we must decide governs controversy. claims virtue doctrine7 Act,8 basic principles When Original Colonies ratified Constitution, they Crown's their respective borders. new forged out territories after formation Union, 'admitted (with) same rights, sovereignty jurisdiction . possess borders.' Mumford versus Wardwell, 6 Wall. 423, 436, 18 L.Ed. 756 (1867). Accordingly, passed States, upon See, e.g., Pollard's Lessee Hagan, How. 212, 11 565 (1845); Shively Bowlby, 152 1, 14 548, 331 (1894); Weber Board Harbor Comm'rs, 57, 65—66, 21 798 (1873). order guarantee full enjoyment watercourses,9 hald follows course. See Oklahoma Texas, 268 252, 45 497, 69 937 (1925). Thus, where portions owner's encroached stream, succeeds 7 1953 disturb these inherent limitations. merely confirmed States' pre-existing waterways boundaries by, effect, quitclaiming And, consonant abovedescribed concerning shifted course, quitclaims streams, 'hereafter modified erosion, reliction.' 43 Code KF62 § 1301(a)(1). 8 asserts basis following application principles. achieved statehood assumed River, doctrine.10 subsequently once having title, divested proprietary subsequent due 9 Having concluded matter settled courts local controlled thereafter. said Arkansas Tennessee, 246 158, 176, 301, 305, 62 638 (1918): '(I)t establish themselves such rules deem expedient respect adjacent them. .' 10 continue adhere principle left determine which, belong But require govern us sovereign; but, rather, Act—whether observed Borax, Limited Los Angeles, 296 10, 22, 56 23, 29, 80 (1935): 'The is, limit conveyed, necessarily question. (I)t involves ascertainment essential asserted law.' supra, cases cited therein contrary. example, into title. Only then turn disposition vis-a-vis 'in each terstate boundary,' U.S., S.Ct., 306. Similarly, (1894), tidelands capacity; remained law; 'if (the States) choose resign proprietor them capacity, others raise objections.' Id., 43, 564. Barney Keokuk, 324, 338, 24 224 (1877), accord nontidal reparian recognizing States. also Scott Lattig, 227 229, 242, 33 243, 57 490 (1913). 12 present case, however, involve lands, very decided nature Act. depends construction 'right law.'11 II 13 cannot accept argument supports claim Historically, sovereign, 224, trust protection navigation related purposes. '(T)itle enures situated .. Such (is) purposes fishery.' Hardin Jordan, 140 371, 381, 808, 811, 428 (1891). 15 Kansas City Life insurance Co., 339 799, 70 885, 890, 1277 (1950). earlier case: 16 'Such incapable ordinary occupation, cultivation improvement; primary uses nature, highways commerce, domestic foreign, fishing ..' 11, 551. 17 '(river)bed bed,'12 will highwater involved longer, described Shively, 'incapable occupation (whose) .'13 never intended provide windfall thousands main thread changed.14 would odds fundamental grant afford unless navigational necessary integral unless, somehow himself. There showing undertaken goals.15 Indeed, participate although implicitly assented project.16 advance Colorado's favor watercourse. But, benefit protected; consequently, That cause recession artificial, rate perceptible, effect. 19 lands. incorrectly construed Congress 'formerly waters.'17 defined being reliction.'18 Contrary implication raised Court, creates inland waterways. only quitclaim waterways.19 specifically excepts scope lawfully patented States.20 Since equalfooting doctrine, can more base unnecessary than III 20 who owns clear receded. Both Solicitor Amicus curiae, urge holder claimant, argues course characterized originally lost again recognizes whereby 'grantee bounded body acquires formed along shore.' Hughes Washington, 389 290, 293, 88 438, 440, 530 (1967); accord, Jones Johnston, 150, 156, 320 (1856). imperceptible accumulation riverbank, way reliction, beneficiary land: 22 'It rule banks changed process continues his boundary; increased he accountable gain, diminished reocurse loss.' Philadelphia Stimson, 223 605, 624, 32 340, 346, 570 (1912). 23 number interrelated reasons accretion. First, water, may well regarded expectancy bounded.21 Second, quality riparian, especially land's 'most valuable feature' itself. 440; Yates Milwaukee, 504, 984 (1871). Riparianness encompasses future alluvion, 'essential attribute property.' County St. Clair Lovingston, 46, 68, 59 (1874). By requiring suffer burden giving him accretions, riparianness maintained. Finally, compensation theory work. Riparian mercy wanderings losing control, addition accretions equally control. Ibid. effect '"fee, determinable occupancy soil river,' (to afford) (a title) (which is) likewise 'qualified' fee 'determinable riparians abandonment river.'"22 applies causes. Wall., 64—69, 59; Claridge, 416 933 (C.A.9, 1969), cert. denied, 397 961, 90 994, 25 253 (1970) (changes River's accretive). Where conditions created strangers thereof.23 otherwise 'a perceptibly abandons channel.' 624—625, 346. rights. Louis Rutz, 138 226, 245, 337, 344, 34 941 rationale mitigate hardship shift sudden landowners applied. quoting Op.Atty.Gen. 175, Nebraska Iowa, 143 359, 362, 396, 397, 36 186 (1892): 26 "(When in) deserting bed, forces itself another direction, nation, through whose territory breaks suffers injury loss greater retaining boundary, middle deserted bed." withdrawn. applied view toward sovereign's analysis Bonelli. 27 dispute Government, paramount servitude river,24 too wide shallow permit therefore needed rechanneled. actually enhanced navigability acquisition could windfall, borders.25 vesting detract legitimate riverbed,26 mitigation avulsion. 28 policies behind are, fully applicable. guarantees character automatically granting form holdings threaten destroy feature mercy, create intervening also, servitude, governmental similarly estate. cast up Government's exercise furthering interests, Michaelson Silver Beach Impr. Assn., 342 Mass. 251, 173 North Eastern 273 (1961). 29 noncompensable losses deprived altogether servitude. losses, activity inure us, composed substantial serve Now resurfaced rechannelization, return estate owner.27 30 'No other just Every (by stream), loss, means add territory: without remedy way, gain.' New Orleans Pet. 662, 717, 573 (1836). 31 recognition serious constitutional assertion taking compensation, find our case. Mr. Justice Stewart warned 298, 443 (concurring opinion): 'Although made attempt take accreted eminent domain, effecting retroactive transformation property—without paying privilege doing (T)he Due Process Clause Fourteenth Amendment forbids confiscation less legislature, unintended deliberate decrease value government may, deprive use flowing Anthonys Falls Water Power Paul 168 349, 157, 42 497 (1897), build wharf over (1894). have Rands, 121, 265, 329 (1967). depriving purpose. Cf. Rouge 411, 419, 46 144, 147, (1926); Colberg, Incorporated 67 Cal.2d 408, Cal.Rptr. 401, 432 (1967), 390 949, 1037, 1139 (1968). Moreover, diminution elimination completely 504. IV remanded further proceedings inconsistent opinion. Reversed REHNQUIST took consideration 37 STEWART (dissenting). resolution conflicting landowner.1 & N Immigration Nationality Decisions think ruling emasculates long 'that admitted Wall, 39 After Revolution, both underlying '(T)he shores soils Constitution reserved several States.' If says, later sovereignty. (1873); 16, 553, 223, (1845). Just real boundaries, element constituting power Today, supersedes pursuant authority 40 This repeatedly recognized power, function 41 'Th(e) states regulate control tide waters, them, exercised crown England. country extended great lakes .; prerogative shall exercised.' 382, 812, With exposing large leading virtually twin said: 'How emerges disposed according familiar State) (or) followed drying recognize restored erosions times preceding 175—176, (1918). Along vein, 44 conceded attaches effected produced unusual floods, decides confusion monuments laid foundation many regard above tide-water variance sound policy. Whether, property, now safe determine. (The decision) belongs 337—338, (1877). To put bluntly, Court's seems me wholly wrong. While conceding "the borders," ante, 318, 'the doctrine' "right law" undercut noted above, derived powers directly Crown Revolution retained whatever surrender Constitution. Even 'title' analysis, located Massachusetts Virginia, rather upshot free develop own while Constitution's ratification today's knuckle supervisory 'federal later-admitted like equal footing boundaries. And vehicle used arrive unjust incredibly, insure strange brings conflict serve. 47 anything, second-class received to, over, Revolution. sovereignty, determining legal questions arise including vagaries controversy surely includes might wrong.2 township Range West, follows: lots one, two, three, four, five six, south half northeast quarter, northwest quarter southwest section containing hundred eighty-nine forty hundredths acres.' map area, General, deeded roughly eastern grant. deed 'E(ast) 1/2 (of) Section 3, excepting Lot thereof.' small usable pocket parcel. Boundary Compact Nevada, Congress, Public Law 87—50, 75 Statutes-at-Large 93, Ariz.App. 412, 464 999 (1970). 699 (1971). 1312 (1972). Before spring floods Joint Res. 8, Admit Territories Mexico 39. 1301 seq. discussion, infra, waterway, California, 283 51 522, 1154 (1931), navigable, so. Appalachian Electric 311 377, 61 291, 299, 85 243 (1940). amicus assert different reason. traced prestatehood 292, 440. concerned pre-statehood whether, Pacific's ultimately riparian. remote grantor, Railroad, given expected wander making parts thereof patent. predecessor entitled pass onto successors property—including premised congressionally enacted Gill, 259 Ala. 177, 183, 66 So.2d 141, 145 (1953). For perceptive discussion historical antecedents modern see Lundquist, Artificial Additions Land: Extending Doctrine Accretion, Ariz.L.Rev. 315 relied decisions Goodtitle Kibbe, 471, 220 (1850), (1845), proposition diminish landholdings. Those post-statehood patents statehood. Alabama statehood, thereafter attempted conveyance void. intimate navigational-purpose limitation waterways, 416, 406—407, 8—9 (1968); narrowly denominated Zabel Tabb, 430 199 (C.A.5, 1970), 401 910, 91 873, 808 (1971) (recognizing conservation proper interest). do define parameters permissible contrast, Marine Rex Regina Coal 257 47, 32, 124 (1921), determination filled belonging series interstate compacts. 259, P.2d, 1313 (emphasis added). legislative history confirmatory existing S.Rep.No.133, 83d Cong., 1st Sess., pt. Pages 6—8 (1953); People Hecker, 179 Cal.App.2d 823, 334 (1960). U.S.Code Cong. Admin.News, 1395—1640. about 332 19, 1658, 1889 (1947), 'paramount interest' marginal sea-lands 'outside territorial limits'—and H.R.Rep.No.1778, 80th (1948). concern irrelevant waterway. 1301(f). E.g., 365—366, 398, (1892); 838, (1891); Anderson-Tully Tingle, 166 227—228 (CA5), 335 816, 36, 371 472, 706 (Lockwood, J., dissenting), quoting, E. Janes Gravel 175 South Western 739, 741 (Tex.Civ.App.1943), rev'd grounds sub nom. Maufrais 142 Tex. 559, 180 144 (1944). sources collected Burns Forbes, 412 995, 997 n. (C.A3, 1969); cf. Beaver 350 4, 1965), 383 937, 86 1067, 854 (1966); Esso Standard Oil Jones, 233 La. 915, 98 236, aff'd rehearing, 940, 244 (1957). 633 635, 350, justifying '(t)he emergence ought reason controlling line claimed already however determined, compel Under re-emergence, identifiable re-emerges perceptible revests 174—175, 305; F.2d, 11. re-emergence accepted Herron Choctaw Chickasaw Nations, 228 830 (C.A.10, 1956) (applying law); 141 (1957); Mulry Norton, 100 N.Y. 424, Northeastern KF135 N59 581 (1885). Because inapplicable suit seeking sense, embraced concept. (or some capacity riverbed), differing parties latter re-emergence. required invocation resolve dispute. emphasizes fact ('(T)he of, dominion (rivers), limits states, found, consequent dispose 565, Illinois Central Illinois, 146 387, 435, 110, 111, 1018 Holt Bank, 270 49, 54—55, 197, 198—199, 465 (1926).) hardly convey held, appear opinion implies, hold, constitute company's violation My conviction infirmity Washington my special concurrence 294—298, 441—443, resulted unconstitutional compensation. That, situation here. simply effects reliction resolving declined petitioners' invitation adopt 'enlightened' alteration

Classification Label: 9