U.S. v. WALKER RIVER IRR. DIST.

Nos. 15-16478, 15-16479.

890 F.3d 1161 (2018)

UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellant, and Walker River Paiute Tribe, Intervenor-Plaintiff, v. WALKER RIVER IRRIGATION DISTRICT; Estate of Herbert Garms, et al.; Circle Bar N Ranch, L.L.C., et al.; E.L.W. Ranches, Inc.; Tri-State Motor Transit Company; Desert Pearl Farms, GP, et al.; Douglas County, Nevada; John A. Mathias, et al.; Break-A-Heart, LLC, et al.; Bently Family Ltd. Partnership, et al.; Hawthorne Utilities, et al.; Nevada Bighorns Unlimited; David J. & Pamela A. Peri Family Trust Agreement, et al.; National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; Dwight Craig Donovan; Yerington Ventures, LLC; Darla Clarke Perry, et al.; Annette R. Swainston, et al.; Residual Trust of the Heiman Family Trust, et al.; VGR Limited Partnership; Motley Living Trust Dated 12-23-70; Borda Family LP; Theodore David Haight; Leland D. Hayden, et al.; Marjorie L. Urrea, et al.; Fred Fulstone, Jr.; Nevada State of, et al.; Gregory B. Adams, et al.; Arlene M. Hoferer, et al.; California Department of Fish & Game, et al.; Norman W. and Kelli J. Annett Family Trust, et al.; Antler Peak Gold Inc.; Michael J. Chilton; County of Mono, California, et al.; Smith Valley Fire Protection District, et al.; Kyle A. Ruf; Shane Brandon; Borealis Mining Co.; J & S Roberts Trust Dated 2-26-96; Suellen Fulstone, et al.; Mineral County; Centennial Livestock; U.S. Board of Water Commissioners; Fenili Family Trust, c/o Peter Fenili and Veronica Fenili, Trustees; Six-N-Ranch, Inc., c/o Richard and Cynthia Nuti; Michael Nuti; Nancy Nuti; Ralph E. Nuti; Mary E. Nuti; Lawrence M. Nuti; Leslie Nuti; Mica Farms, LLC, c/o Mike Faretto; John and Lura Weaver Family Trust, c/o Lura Weaver, Trustee; Smith Valley Garage, Inc., c/o Dan Smith and Shawna Smith; Donald Giorgi; Lorie McMahon; Merle McMahon; Lyon County, Defendants-Appellees. United States of America, Plaintiff, and Walker River Paiute Tribe, Intervenor-Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Walker River Irrigation District; Estate of Herbert Garms, et al.; Circle Bar N Ranch, L.L.C., et al.; E.L.W. Ranches, Inc.; Tri-state Motor Transit Company; Desert Pearl Farms, GP, et al.; Douglas County, Nevada; John A. Mathias, et al.; Break-A-Heart, LLC, et al.; Bently Family Ltd. Partnership, et al.; Hawthorne Utilities, et al.; Nevada Bighorns Unlimited; David J. & Pamela A. Peri Family Trust Agreement, et al.; National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; Dwight Craig Donovan; Yerington Ventures, LLC; Darla Clarke Perry, et al.; Annette R. Swainston, et al.; Residual Trust of the Heiman Family Trust, et al.; VGR Limited Partnership; Motley Living Trust Dated 12-23-70; Borda Family LP; Theodore David Haight; Leland D. Hayden, et al.; Marjorie L. Urrea, et al.; Fred Fulstone, Jr.; Nevada State of, et al.; Gregory B. Adams, et al.; Arlene M. Hoferer, et al.; California Department of Fish & Game, et al.; Norman W. and Kelli J. Annett Family Trust, et al.; Antler Peak Gold Inc.; Michael J. Chilton; County of Mono, California, et al.; Smith Valley Fire Protection District, et al.; Kyle A. Ruf; Shane Brandon; Borealis Mining Co.; J & S Roberts Trust Dated 2-26-96; Suellen Fulstone, et al.; Mineral County; Centennial Livestock; U.S. Board of Water Commissioners; Fenili Family Trust, c/o Peter Fenili and Veronica Fenili, Trustees; Six-N-Ranch, Inc., c/o Richard and Cynthia Nuti; Michael Nuti; Nancy Nuti; Ralph E. Nuti; Mary E. Nuti; Lawrence M. Nuti; Leslie Nuti; Mica Farms, LLC, c/o Mike Faretto; John and Lura Weaver Family Trust, c/o Lura Weaver, Trustee; Smith Valley Garage, Inc., c/o Dan Smith and Shawna Smith; Donald Giorgi; Lorie McMahon; Merle McMahon; Lyon County, Defendants-Appellees.

United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.

Filed May 22, 2018.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Elizabeth Ann Peterson (argued), David L. Negri , Andrew "Guss" Guyarino , Katerine J. Barton , David C. Shilton , and William B. Lazarus , Attorneys; Jeffrey H. Wood , Acting Assistant Attorney General; United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.; for Plaintiff-Counterclaimant-Appellant.

Wes Williams Jr. (argued) Schurz, Nevada, for Intervenor-Plaintiff-Appellant.

Gordon H. DePaoli (argued) and Dale E. Ferguson , Woodburn & Wedge, Reno, Nevada, for Defendant-Appellee Walker River Irrigation District.

Bryan L. Stockton (argued), Senior Deputy Attorney General; Adam Paul Laxalt , Attorney General; Office of the Attorney General, Carson City, Nevada; for Defendant-Appellee Nevada Department of Wildlife.

Roderick E. Walston (argued) and Steven G. Martin , Best Best & Krieger, Walnut Creek, California; Stephen B. Rye , District Attorney, Lyon County District Attorney's Office, Yerington, Nevada; Jerry M. Snyder , Reno, Nevada; Stacy Simon, County Counsel, Office of the County Counsel, Mammoth Lakes, California; Therese A. Ure , Schroeder Law Offices P.C., Reno, Nevada; for Defendants-Appellees Lyon County, et al.

Before: A. Wallace Tashima, Raymond C. Fisher, and Jay S. Bybee, Circuit Judges.


OPINION

This case is but one among a group of related actions in a long-running and complex dispute over water rights in the Walker River Basin. This case began in 1924 when the United States filed suit in Nevada federal court to establish water rights in the Walker River Basin on behalf of the Walker River Paiute...

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