Court Opinion

ID: 9573650
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:57:25.047978+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:42:15.305548
License: Public Domain

Gregory, Justice,
dissenting.
I would affirm the trial court.
I agree with the majority and the trial court that one riparian owner may not divert the flow of a stream to the detriment of another riparian owner beyond making a reasonable use of the water. As I understand the facts found below, the only way to restore the status quo is to require that the canal be filled completely. Otherwise big holes will exist likely to affect the run of Reedy Creek beyond a reasonable use of water. Thus the injunction was carefully drawn to eliminate the damage done and this court should allow the injunction to stand. There is no basis for a remand. The matter has already been carefully examined and decided below.
I must also disagree with the conclusion of the majority that because the beaver dams were not the handiwork of Wade he enjoys no prescriptive right in the continued existence of the pond so as to prevent the alteration of the dams by Lawson to cause the water to *555drain. The trial court found the dams existed for more than 20 years. Under these facts I would apply the rationale of Brown v. Tomlinson, 246 Ga. 513 (272 SE2d 258) (1980). There a group of riparian owners shared the cost of constructing a dam across a stream so as to create a pond for recreation purposes. The water backed over the separate tracts of land of different owners including Brown. Some years later when others sought to drain the water by cutting the dam Brown filed suit for injunctive relief. This court reasoned that Brown had the right to maintain the accumulated water on his land because of the continued existence of the body of water for more than 20 years. Mutual prescriptive easements in lands of the various riparian owners, including Brown, were recognized. (Brown lost his case not because he had no rights but because he was guilty of laches in failing to timely pursue them.) It is true the dam in Brown’s case was constructed by human effort but I do not believe that should alter the rights of the parties in this case. Here the dams were a natural occurrence allowed by the parties to continue for over 20 years. The beavers were the agency. I would analogize this to a mountain stream being dammed by a landslide to form a lake. I suggest after sufficient time passes the riparian owners have a right in the continuing existence of the lake sufficient to prevent anyone from destroying it by removing the dam.
Decided October 22, 1987
Reconsideration denied November 4, 1987.
Mills & Chasteen, Ben B. Mills, Jr., for appellant.
Smith & Harrington, Will Ed Smith, for appellee.
I am authorized to state that Justice Bell joins in this dissent.