Availability Of Colorado River Water

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U.S. Supreme Court Opinions

Case Summaries - June 19, 2000

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CIVIL PROCEDURE

ARIZONA v. CALIFORNIA (6/19/00 - No. 8, Orig.)

On Exceptions to Report of Special Master

Argued April 25, 2000--Decided June 19, 2000

This litigation began in 1952 when Arizona invoked this Court's original

jurisdiction to settle a dispute with California over the extent of each

State's right to use water from the Colorado River system. The United

States intervened, seeking water rights on behalf of, among others, five

Indian reservations, including the Fort Yuma (Quechan) Indian

Reservation, the Colorado River Indian Reservation, and the Fort Mojave

Indian Reservation.....

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Much legalese omitted. I have the complete summary.

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The Court accepts the Special Master's recommendations and

approves the parties' proposed settlements of the disputes respecting

additional water for the Fort Mojave and Colorado River Reservations.

Pp. 22-23.

Exception of State parties overruled; Exceptions of United States and

Quechan Tribe sustained; Special Master's recommendations to approve

parties' proposed settlements respecting Fort Mojave and Colorado River

Reservations are adopted, and parties are directed to submit any

objections they may have to Special Master's proposed supplemental

decree; Outstanding water rights claims associated with disputed Fort

Yuma Reservation boundary lands remanded.