Okanogan Wilderness League, Inc. v. Town of Twisp

947 P.2d 732, 133 Wash. 2d 769
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 4, 1997
DocketNo. 63972-8
StatusPublished
Cited by36 cases

This text of 947 P.2d 732 (Okanogan Wilderness League, Inc. v. Town of Twisp) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Okanogan Wilderness League, Inc. v. Town of Twisp, 947 P.2d 732, 133 Wash. 2d 769 (Wash. 1997).

Opinions

Madsen, J.

— The Okanogan Wilderness League (OWL) appeals from a superior court decision affirming the Pollution Control Hearings Board’s (Board) change in the diversion point of the Town of Twisp’s 1912 water right from a [772]*772surface diversion point to wells drawing from groundwater. We reverse.

FACTS

In August 1912, Twisp executed a notice of water right with an intent to divert 10 cubic feet per second from the Twisp River. The diversion was for domestic purposes, fire protection, sanitary purposes, agricultural and mechanical use, and for general municipal purposes within Twisp. Twisp constructed diversionary works and water was diverted to the town. In 1927, Twisp sought approval from the Department of Ecology’s predecessor, the State Supervisor of Hydraulics, to change the point of diversion. In 1930, a certificate of change was issued, documenting a water right of 10 cubic feet per second from the Twisp River. However, the parties stipulated that based upon the size of pipe used to divert water, the most Twisp ever used was 3.85 cubic feet per second; the town never used the whole instantaneous withdrawal right of 10 cubic feet per second.

Sometime between 1939 and 1948, Twisp stopped diverting surface water from the Twisp River and began to draw water for municipal uses from wells located in the town. It belatedly applied for and received two groundwater certificates with priority dates of 1967 and 1971. The two certificates authorized instantaneous withdrawal of 500 and 1100 gallons per minute, a total of 1600 gallons per minute, equivalent to 3.55 cubic feet per second. These certificates authorized a maximum annual withdrawal of 224 acre feet per year. By the 1990’s, Twisp’s withdrawals far exceeded the amount of water authorized under the groundwater certificates.

Floods in 1948, or sometime thereafter, destroyed the diversionary works along the Twisp, and the area was rip-rapped.[773]*7731 The record does not show whether Twisp did the riprapping.

In 1993, Twisp applied to the Department of Ecology for a new water right. The Department informed Twisp that any new permit would be subject to limitations to protect minimum instream flows, and that the Department was postponing decisions on new permits. A Department employee discovered the 1930 certificate of change for the 1912 right in Department records. Twisp then applied to the Department to change the point of diversion of the 1912 water right from the surface waters of the Twisp River to two new wells located within the town, to draw from groundwater which would be in hydraulic continuity with the Methow River (into which the Twisp River flows), and to change the specified uses to general municipal purposes. The Department of Ecology investigated the application for a change in diversion point, and concluded that the change in point of diversion should be allowed, with an annual limitation of 610 acre feet per year based on historical use of the 1912 water right and the 1930 change. The Department determined that the 1967 and 1971 groundwater rights would be supplemental to the 1912 water right (supplemental water rights can be used only when the primary right goes unfulfilled) insofar as the annual limitations are concerned (610 acre feet per year under the 1912 right; 224 acre feet per year under the groundwater certificates).2 The Department further concluded that Twisp was entitled to an instantaneous withdrawal of 10 cubic feet per second for the 1912 water right, and 3.55 cubic feet per second for the 1967 and 1971 rights, i.e., the instantaneous withdrawal rates under the groundwater certificates were additive to the 1912 instan[774]*774taneous withdrawal rate. There is no explanation of why the annual limitations were determined to be supplemental, but the instantaneous rates additive.

In reaching the 610 acre feet per year figure, the Department found the 1912 right had been used for three purposes: irrigation, power generation, and domestic water supply. The Department found that 350 acre feet per year was used for irrigation, using surveyor’s maps from 1924 to determine that 160 acres had been irrigated. The maps were color coded and identified 70 acres of "irrigated” land, and 90 acres of "cleared” land. The Department found that 148 acre feet per year had been used to power a flour mill for 10 hours a day, 180 days a year. Finally, the Department found that the right supplied domestic water to 500 people in the amount of 112 acre feet per year.

In December 1993, the Yakama Indian Nation and OWL filed separate notices of appeal from the findings, conclusions and decision of the Department of Ecology, and their appeals were consolidated. Subsequently, the Yakama Indian Nation voluntarily withdrew its appeal. Following a formal hearing held in July 1994 before the Pollution Control Hearings Board (Board), the Board issued findings of fact, conclusions of law, and an order confirming the Department’s decision except that the perfected 1912 right was reduced to an instantaneous rate of 3.85 cubic feet per second based on the parties’ stipulation that this is all that Twisp ever withdrew at any time. The annual limitation of 610 acre feet for the 1912 right was reduced to 570 acre feet per year, because the Board found that if all the "cleared” lands shown on the surveyor’s maps were irrigated, then there would have been no reason for a separate color coded designation of "irrigated” lands. The Board found that a "reasonable inference may be drawn that 80% of the cleared lands were irrigated” and thus only 310 acre feet was used for irrigation. Clerk’s Papers (CP) at 616. Finally, the Board concluded that the 1967 and 1971 groundwater rights were supplemental to the [775]*7751912 right, both as to instantaneous rates and annual limitations.

The Board rejected OWL's claim that the 1912 right had been abandoned, concluding that no intent to abandon had been shown. The Board also concluded that Twisp’s requested change in diversion would not cause detriment or injury to other water right holders. The Board remanded the matter to the Department of Ecology for issuance of a certificate of change in point of diversion in accord with its decision.

In September 1994, OWL filed a petition for judicial review in Okanogan County Superior Court. Although it served this petition upon an assistant attorney general for the Department of Ecology, the Department of Ecology, legal counsel for the Yakama Indian Nation, the Board, and Twisp’s attorney of record, it did not serve the petition on the Town of Twisp.

In March 1996, the Superior Court issued a memorandum opinion affirming the Board’s decision, and, in April 1996, entered an order denying the petition for review. OWL then appealed to this court. Twisp moved to dismiss, arguing that OWL failed to serve all the parties of record as required by the Administrative Procedure Act, and therefore the superior court lacked jurisdiction. This motion has been passed to the merits for consideration at the same time as the other issues in the appeal. The Center for Environmental Law and Policy was granted leave to file an amicus curiae brief in support of the appeal.

ANALYSIS

Initially, on September 26, 1996, Respondent Town of Twisp filed a motion in this court to dismiss OWL’s appeal on the ground that OWL did not serve Twisp, a party of record, with its petition for review of the Board decision and therefore the Okanogan Superior Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction.

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Bluebook (online)
947 P.2d 732, 133 Wash. 2d 769, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/okanogan-wilderness-league-inc-v-town-of-twisp-wash-1997.