S.F. No. 0063

Irrigation facility modification and maintenance.

 

Sponsored By:                              Senator(s) Case and Representative(s) Baker

 

AN ACT relating to water; requiring modifications to irrigation facilities to be appropriately installed and maintained; providing for recovery of costs in specified circumstances; and providing for an effective date.

 

1/13/2003         Bill Number Assigned

1/14/2003         S Received for Introduction

1/15/2003         S Introduced and Referred to S05

1/24/2003         S05 Recommended Amend and Do Pass

 

ROLL CALL

Ayes:  Senator(s) Barton, Cathcart, Geis, Northrup and Vasey

Ayes 5    Nays 0    Excused 0    Absent 0    Conflicts 0

 

1/24/2003         S Placed on General File

 

1/27/2003         S Amendments Considered

SF0063SS001.01/AC (CORRECTED COPY)  (DIVIDED COPY)    ADOPTED

Page 1-line 14                                        After "flow" insert ", storage water or waste water".

Page 1-line 15                                        After "downstream" insert "or upstream".

Page 2-line 2                                          Delete "facility" insert "capacity and".

Page 2-line 3                                          Delete "ten (10) days" insert "forty-eight (48) hours".

Page 2-line 4                                          After "maintenance" insert ", repairs".

Page 2-line 5                                          Delete "modification" insert "other work"; delete "reasonable"; after "maintenance" insert ", repairs".

Page 2-line 6                                          Delete "modifications" insert "other work"; delete "direct flow" insert "capacity and".

Page 2-line 7                                          After "performance" insert "through the area of such unauthorized modifications".

Page 2-line 9                                          Before "modifications" insert "unauthorized".

Page 2-line 18                                        Before "ditch" delete "said" insert "the"; before "lien" delete "said".  GEIS, CHAIRMAN

 

SF0063SS001.02/FC (CORRECTED COPY)  (DIVIDED COPY)              FAILED

Page 3-after line 5                                 Insert:

                "(c)  This section shall not apply to any irrigation facility relocated as a result of a construction project by a local, state or federal agency when the modified facility provides capacity for all appropriated water rights downstream of the facility, or when an agreement relating to relocation and maintenance of an irrigation facility is in place between the authorized downstream users and the owner or agency relocating the facility.".  GEIS, CHAIRMAN

 

SF0063SW001/A     ADOPTED

Page 1-line 13                                        After "An owner" insert "of property upon or through which an irrigation facility is located".

Page 1-line 15                                        Delete the Senate Standing Committee Amendment (SF0063SS001/A) to this line and further amend as follows:  delete "downstream".

Page 1-line 16                                        Delete "modified facilities" insert "unauthorized modifications".

Page 2-line 3                                          After "performance" insert "through such modifications".

Page 3-lines 1 and 2                             Delete and renumber.

Page 3-line 4                                          Delete "(ii)" insert "(i)"; delete "downstream" insert "holder of a valid"; after "right" insert "such as an individual,".

Page 3-line 5                                          Delete through "irrigator or"; after "company" insert ", irrigation district or other permitted use".  GEIS, CATHCART

 

1/27/2003         S Passed CoW

 

1/28/2003         S Amendments Considered

SF0063S2001/A     ADOPTED

Page 3-after line 5                                 Insert and renumber:

                "(ii)  "Authorized modification" means any modification which is required by the state engineer, water division superintendent or his agent or any modification which has been agreed to by the owner or owners of a majority, by volume, of the water rights diverted through the irrigation ditch or facility.".  SCOTT

 

1/28/2003         S Passed 2nd Reading

 

1/29/2003         S Amendments Considered

SF0063S3001/A     ADOPTED

Page 3-after line 5                                 In the Scott Second Reading Amendment (SF0063S2001/A) to this line, in paragraph (ii), after "has been agreed to by" insert "an affected ditch company, or if no ditch company exists, by".  CASE

 

SF0063S3002/A     ADOPTED

Page 3-after line 5                                 In the Scott Second Reading Amendment (SF0063S2001/A) to this line, in paragraph (ii), after "ditch or facility" insert ", provided no modification shall harm or impede the delivery or use of any water right or rights associated with those rights".  MEIER

 

1/29/2003         S Passed 3rd Reading

 

ROLL CALL

Ayes:  Senator(s) Anderson, J., Barrasso, Barton, Boggs, Burns, Caller, Case, Cathcart, Coe, Decaria, Devin, Erb, Geis, Goodenough, Hanes, Hawks, Hines, Job, Larson, Massie, Meier, Mockler, Northrup, Peck, Roberts, Schiffer, Scott, Sessions and Vasey.

Nays:  Senator(s) Kunz

Ayes 29    Nays 1    Excused 0    Absent 0    Conflicts 0

 

1/31/2003         H Received for Introduction

2/4/2003          H Introduced and Referred to H05

2/20/2003         H05 Recommended Amend and Do Pass

 

ROLL CALL

Ayes:  Representative(s) Brechtel, Diercks, Hageman, Harvey, Morgan, Powers, Prosser, Semlek and Slater

Ayes 9    Nays 0    Excused 0    Absent 0    Conflicts 0

 

2/20/2003         H Placed on General File

 

2/25/2003         H Amendments Considered

SF0063HS001/AE    (TO ENGROSSED COPY)     ADOPTED

Page 1-line 4                                          After ";" insert "specifying legislative intent;".

Page 2-line 5                                          After "may" delete balance of the line.

Page 2-lines 6 and 7                             Delete.

Page 2-lines 8                                        Delete "necessary,".

Page 2-after line 24                               Insert:

"(b)  Remedies afforded under subsection (a) of this section shall be cumulative to all other actions or remedies available under other statutory or common-law provisions.".

Page 3-line 2                          Delete "(b)" insert "(c)". 

Page 3-after line 16               Insert:

"Section 2.  This act shall not be construed to prohibit or otherwise affect actions or other remedies available under other statutory or common-law provisions.  Except where in direct conflict with a provision of this act, the common law existing prior to this act shall remain unabrogated.". 

Page 3-line 18                                        Delete "2" insert "3".  HAGEMAN, CHAIRMAN

 

SF0063HW001/AE    (TO ENGROSSED COPY)     ADOPTED

Page 2-line 5                                          Delete "such" insert "the".

Page 2-line 10                                        Delete "such" insert "the".

Page 2-line 13                                        Delete "so".

Page 2-line 16                                        Delete "thereof"; delete "forth" insert "out".

Page 2-line 17                                        Delete "so".

Page 2-line 18                                        Delete "wherein" insert "where".

Page 2-line 19                                        Delete "so".

Page 2-line 20                                        Delete "such" insert "the".

Page 2-line 22                                        Delete "," insert "."; delete "which" insert "The"; delete "when so taken".

Page 3-line 5                                          Delete "such as" insert "including".

Page 3-line 9                                          Delete "which is".

Page 3-line 11                                        Delete "which has been".  ROBINSON

 

2/25/2003         H Passed CoW

2/26/2003         H Laid Back Pursuant to HR 9-3

 

2/27/2003         H Amendments Considered

SF0063H2001/AE    (TO ENGROSSED COPY)     ADOPTED

Page 1-line 3                                          After "for" insert "remedies and".

Page 2-line 10                                        After "modifications." insert "The user may remove the modifications if it is not feasible to maintain or repair the modifications.".

Page 2-line 11                                        Delete "and" insert ", repair, other necessary work or removal of the".

Page 2-line 13                                        After "modifications." delete balance of the line.

Page 2-line 14                                        Delete the line through "modifications" insert "The user".

Page 2-line 15                                        After "claim" insert "for costs".

Page 2-line 17                                        Delete "," insert ".  The statement shall be filed".

Page 3-line 4                                          After "right" insert "who also has authority to use the ditch or irrigation facility,".

Page 3-line 9                                          Before "required" insert "duly".

Page 3-line 10                                        After "agent" insert "or the board of commissioners of an irrigation district,".  PHILP, BAKER

 

2/27/2003         H Passed 2nd Reading

2/28/2003         H Laid Back Pursuant to HR 9-3

3/1/2003          H Laid Back Pursuant to HR 9-3

 

3/3/2003          H Amendments Considered

SF0063H3001/ACE   (CORRECTED COPY)  (TO ENGROSSED COPY)     ADOPTED

Delete the standing committee amendment (SF0063HS001/AE).

Delete the Robinson committee of the whole amendment (SF0063HW001/AE).

Delete the Philp, Baker second reading amendment (SF0063H2001/AE).

Further amend as follows:

Page 1-line 1                                          Delete "requiring" insert "providing for restoration of wrongful".

Page 1-line 2                                          After "facilities" insert ";" and delete the balance of the line.

Page 1-line 3                                          Delete "maintained;".

Page 1-line 4                                          After "circumstances;" insert "providing for attorney fees as specified;".

Page 1-lines 13 through 17                 Delete.

Page 2-lines 1 through 24                   Delete.

Page 3-lines 1 through 16                   Delete.

Page 3-After line 16             Insert:

                "(a)  Any person who, acting directly or indirectly through an agent or representative, in trespass or in other violation of the rights of a user, wrongfully modifies an existing irrigation ditch or other irrigation facility in any manner that diminishes the capacity or adversely affects the utility of the ditch or irrigation facility is liable to the users for all restoration costs.  If restoration is not feasible and the effort or cost of maintaining the modified ditch or facility is increased, then the person is thereafter liable to the users for the amount of increased maintenance that results from the modifications.

(b)  For cases in which restoration is feasible, any adversely affected user may serve a written demand for restoration.  If restoration is not feasible and requires increased maintenance, efforts or costs, any adversely affected user may serve a written demand for immediate and continued maintenance.  A copy of this section shall be annexed to the written demand.  The demand shall be delivered to the actor in person, or if the actor cannot be found then the demand shall be delivered conspicuously to the actor’s usual place of business or residence.  If the actor fails to accomplish complete restoration or all the currently necessary maintenance within forty-eight (48) hours after the written demand is delivered in accordance with this subsection, the user may perform the restoration and may do the maintenance that is then necessary, as well as that which becomes necessary thereafter, and may recover the reasonable costs thereof from the actor.  If the modification is so gross that restoration cannot reasonably be completed within the forty-eight (48) hour period, then the duty to restore is satisfied when:

(i)  Within twenty-four (24) hours after delivery of the demand, the actor undertakes a good faith effort to mitigate harm to other users and to restore the facility and the effort is:

      (A)  Commensurate with the magnitude of harm or potential harm to the users; and

      (B)  Continuously and diligently pursued to completion in a timely manner.

(c)  Every user who provides the restoration or maintenance shall have a lien on the actor’s interest or property that is involved in the modification.  If the property involved is land, the lien extends to one (1) acre, unless the modification extends or covers more than one (1) acre, in which case the lien shall extend to all the additional land covered by the modification.  If the land subject to the modification is located in any city, town or subdivision, the lien shall extend to each entire lot upon which the modification is located.  If the actor's interest or property is only a ditch right or reservoir right, or such, then the one (1) acre shall be at the site where the water under the actor's ditch or reservoir right, or other interest is first applied to beneficial use.

(d)  In order to have a perfected lien, a lien claimant shall file with the county clerk a lien statement that conforms to the requirements of W. S. 29‑1‑301, and shall notify the last known owner as provided in W.S. 29‑1‑301.  The county clerk shall file and index the statement as provided in W.S. 29‑1‑301.  When so perfected, the lien may be enforced in the same manner as provided in W. S. 29‑4‑101 and 29‑4‑102 and is subject to the limitation in W.S. 29‑2‑109.

(e)  If litigation is necessary to enforce the lien, the prevailing party shall be awarded reasonable attorney's fees and costs of litigation, to be fixed and awarded by the court, unless the court finds that the nonprevailing party had reasonable grounds to expect to prevail.

(f)  The remedies provided by this section are not exclusive but are supplemental to other remedies in law or equity.  This section does not in any way alter or affect law regarding water rights, covenants, easements or other servitudes, or other rights.

(g)  As used in this section:

(i)  "Actor" means a person who wrongfully modifies an existing irrigation ditch or other irrigation facility as specified in subsection (a) of this section;

(ii)  "User" means an individual, ditch company whether organized or unorganized, irrigation district, or other person or entity lawfully permitted to use water under an adjudicated or other valid water right who uses a ditch or facility for conveyance of direct flow, or waste water, or storage of water in the beneficial use of water under the water right.  NICHOLAS

 

3/3/2003          H Passed 3rd Reading

 

ROLL CALL

Ayes:  Representative(s) Anderson, R., Bagby, Baker, Berger, Boswell, Brechtel, Buchanan, Bucholz, Childers, Cohee, Cooper, Diercks, Esquibel, Gentile, Hageman, Harshman, Harvey, Hinckley, Iekel, Illoway, Jansen, Johnson, L., Johnson, W., Jones, Jorgensen, Landon, Latta, Law, Lockhart, Martin, McMurtrey, Meuli, Meyer, Morgan, Nicholas, Osborn, Parady, Petersen, Powers, Prosser, Reese, Robinson, Ross, Semlek, Simpson, Slater, Thompson, Tipton, Walsh, Warren, Wasserburger and Wostenberg.

Nays:  Representative(s) Alden, Edwards, Gilmore, Luthi, McOmie, Miller, D., Olsen and Philp.

Ayes 52    Nays 8    Excused 0    Absent 0    Conflicts 0

 

3/4/2003          S Did Concur

 

ROLL CALL

Ayes:  Senator(s) Anderson, J., Barrasso, Boggs, Burns, Caller, Case, Cathcart, Coe, Decaria, Devin, Erb, Geis, Goodenough, Hanes, Hawks, Hines, Job, Larson, Massie, Mockler, Northrup, Peck, Roberts, Schiffer, Scott and Sessions.

Nays:  Senator(s) Barton, Kunz, Meier and Vasey.

Ayes 26    Nays 4    Excused 0    Absent 0    Conflicts 0

 

3/4/2003          Assigned Number SEA 0076

3/4/2003          S President Signed SEA No. 0076

3/5/2003          H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0076

3/7/2003          Governor Signed SEA No. 0076

 

Chapter No. 0192  Session Laws of Wyoming 2003.