Posachane Water Co. v. Standart
Posachane Water Co. v. Standart
Opinion of the Court
This case involves the conflicting claims of the parties to the waters of Posachane Creek. It is averred in the complaint that since 1886 plaintiff and its grantors have been the owners of a certain ditch, through which they have diverted and carried the waters of said creek, and used the same for beneficial purposes; and that in December, 1890, the defendants wrongfully
We see no errors committed by the court in arriving at the conclusion that the said T. W. Standart had a prior right to some of the waters of said creek. Appellant contends, among other things, that the court erred in holding that said Standart -was the owner of said prior right, because it appeared that he had conveyed whatever right thereto which he may have had to a corpo
The defendants set up in their answer certain rights
Respondent asked the witness Standart if he knew what the grade of the ditch was at a certain point; and he answered that he thought it was about six feet to the mile, and that the usual grade of the country at that -place was from six to eight feet to the mile. Appellant moved to strike out this testimony, and contends that the court erred in overruling its motion. Appellant’s point as to this matter seems to be, that as the grade of the ditch may be ascertained with absolute certainty, therefore the judgment of a witness as to such grade is not admissible. This position is not tenable; the judgment of a witness as to such a matter is always admissible,— subject, of course, to be overcome, by the other side, by more accurate information, if such can be produced.
But the finding of the court as to the amount of water diverted by the Standart ditch prior to the vesting of appellant’s water rights in the creek is not sustained by the evidence. The finding that the Standart ditch, in 1885, diverted “ 427 cubic feet of water per second, flowing and to flow on a grade of 7 feet to the mile,” is rather confusing; for if it actually diverted 427 feet, it matters not what its grade was. We suppose that the whole finding (finding 3) means that the ditch was 27 feet wide on top, 20 feet on the bottom, and 30 inches deep, and had a grade of 7 feet to the mile; and that, being of that size and grade, it carried 427 cubic feet of water per second. In the first place, there is no evidence that the ditch along its entire course was of the
But if we assume that he did construct a ditch in 1885, which along its entire course was of the size and grade found by the court, still, under the evidence, it could not possibly have carried 427 cubic feet per second. The only definite evidence as to what amount of water a ditch of a given size and grade will carry is found in the testimony of respondents’ witness Hughey., who is a civil engineer and surveyor. He testified upon the subject as follows: “ Taking the width at 30 feet, the bottom at 20 feet, the depth at 3 feet, and the grade at 10i feet to the mile, the discharge would be in cubic feet flowing per second 426 75-100. A ditch with a width of 27 feet across the top, 20 feet on the bottom, with a depth of 3 feet, and a grade of 10| feet to the
Counsel for respondents suggest that if the amount of water found by the court to be embraced by the prior right of respondents be too large, this court might modify the judgment by reducing that amount. But by that course this court would be making a finding for the court below, which it cannot do. And the different rights and contentions of the parties are so mixed and interlaced in the findings and judgment, that we do not see how there could be a partial approval of the findings or affirmance of the judgment. The entire rights of the parties can be better readjusted and established by a retrial of the whole case. ■
The judgment and order appealed from are reversed, $nd the cause remanded for a new trial.
De Haven, J., and Fitzgerald, J., concurred.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- POSACHANE WATER COMPANY v. T. W. STANDART
- Cited By
- 6 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Water Rights — Diversion — Justification under Prior Right of One Defendant — Conveyance of Ditch and Appurtenances to Corporation. — In an action to restrain the diversion of water of a stream, where the defendants defend and justify their acts under and by virtue of a prior right in one of the defendants to a ditch and water right, it is immaterial whether the strict legal title to the ditch or water right, or both, is in the said defendant individually, or is in a corporation to which a conveyance of the ditch and appurtenances had been made. Id. — Pleading — Answer — Riparian Rights — Prior Appropriation — Omission in Findings — Appeal. — The failure of the trial court to find upon certain riparian rights set up in the defendants’ answer will not warrant a reversal of a judgment for the defendants, upon appeal of the plaintiffs, where the other facts found sustain the judgment of the court as to the priority of the water rights acquired by appropriation under which the defendants claim. Id.—Evidence — Opinion as to Grade of Ditch.—The opinion of a witness as to the grade per mile of a water-ditch is admissible, although subject to be overcome by any more accurate information which may be produced by the opposing party. Id.—Measurement of Capacity of Ditch — Least Carrying Capacity. — Where a ditch is intended to supply, and does supply, water for use at various points along its course, the latter part of the ditch need not be so large as the first part; but the general rule for measuring the capacity of a ditch (making due allowance for evaporation, seepage, etc.) is the amount of water that it will carry from the point of diversion to the point of use, and the point of least carrying capacity fixes the general capacity of the ditch; and this rule applies where it does not appear that the water was intended to be used along its course, before it reaches the point at which the size of the ditch was decreased, the intention apparently being to supply first the homestead of the appropriator beyond the point of contraction. Id. — Finding against Evidence. — A finding to the effect that the ditch of the defendants was 27 feet wide on top, 20 feet on the bottom, and 30 inches deep, and had a grade of 7 feet to the mile, and being of that size and grade, carried 427 cubic feet of water per second, is not justified by the evidence, where the strongest evidence on behalf of the defendants shows that the ditch was only 16 feet wide at the top in some places, and was smaller still in other places; and the only definite evidence as to the amount of water a ditch of a given size and grade could carry showed that such a ditch could not possibly carry as much as 427 cubic feet of water per second. Id. — Atfeal — Modification of Judgment — Findings — New Trial. — The appellate court will not modify a judgment upon appeal, where, in order to do so, it must make a finding different from that made by the court below, but will reverse the judgment and remand the cause for a new trial.