The General Adjudication of all rights to use water in the Big Horn River System and all other sources, State of Wyoming
Decided June 14, 2002
The appellants own lands within the Big Horn River System and claim federal reserved water rights as a result of their acquiring properties from Indian allottees. These claims are known as "Walton" claims based on the federal court cases which first identified them. To qualify, Walton claimants must demonstrate their lands were irrigated by their Indian allottee predecessors or the first non-Indian successors irrigated the lands within a reasonable time after they were conveyed. The district court denied these appellants' claims (unsuccessful claimants) finding they failed to show beneficial use of water within a "reasonable time" because they relied upon the construction of the Wind River Irrigation Project to make the water available to their lands and the project was not completed until approximately ten to thirty years after transfer of the allotments. more....
THEGENERALADJUDICATIONOFALLRIGHTSTOUSEWATERINTHEBIGHORNRIVERSYSTEMANDALLOTHERSOURCESSTATEOFWYOMING.pdf
The appellants own lands within the Big Horn River System and claim federal reserved water rights as a result of their acquiring properties from Indian allottees. These claims are known as "Walton" claims based on the federal court cases which first identified them. To qualify, Walton claimants must demonstrate their lands were irrigated by their Indian allottee predecessors or the first non-Indian successors irrigated the lands within a reasonable time after they were conveyed. The district court denied these appellants' claims (unsuccessful claimants) finding they failed to show beneficial use of water within a "reasonable time" because they relied upon the construction of the Wind River Irrigation Project to make the water available to their lands and the project was not completed until approximately ten to thirty years after transfer of the allotments. more....
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THEGENERALADJUDICATIONOFALLRIGHTSTOUSEWATERINTHEBIGHORNRIVERSYSTEMANDALLOTHERSOURCESSTATEOFWYOMING.pdf
