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No. 91-140

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
1992

IN THE MATTER OF THE ADJUDICATION OF THE EXISTING
RIGHTS TO THE USE OF ALL THE WATER, BOTH SURFACE
AND UNDERGROUND, WITHIN THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER ABOVE
AND INCLUDING BRIDGER CREEK IN GALLATIN, PARK, SWEET
GRASS, AND STILLWATER COUNTIES, MONTANA.



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APPEAL FROM: The Montana State Water Courts,

swE
OF
MONTANA

b.i)b,i,

The Honorable iJ.
IJ.
Lessley, Judge Presiding.
COUNSEL OF RECORD:

For Appellant:

R. Mark Josephson (argued); Josephson &
Fredricks,
Big Timber, Montana
For Respondent:

Hon. Marc Racicot, Attorney General; George Schunk, Assistant, (argued) Helena, Montana Donald MacIntyre,
Dept. of Natural Resources, Helena, Montana Robert N. Lane, Dept. Fish, Wildlife &
Parks, Helena, Montana Blake Watson (argued), Barry M. Hartman,
Robert L. Klarquist, John R. Hill, Jr., Patrick Barry, U. S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. Doris S.
Poppler, U.S. Attorney, Billings, Montana Jody Miller, Office of General Counsel, Dept. of Agriculture, Missoula, Montana John C. Chaffin,
Office of Field Solicitor, Dept. of the Interior, Billings, Montana Daniel F. Decker, Confederated Salish
&
Kootenai Tribes, Pablo, Montana David Pengelly; Knight, Maclay
&
Maser, Missoula, Montana Ann E. Wilcox, Billings, Montana John W. Duncan, Joplin, Montana
For Amicus Curiae:

Bruce R. Toole
(argued) and Janice L. Rehberg
(argued), Crowley
Law Firm, Billings, Montana
(Tiegen)


Michael E. Zimmerman
(argued) and Susan J.
Callaghan, Montana Power Co., Butte, Montana

W. G. Gilbert, Jr. and W.G. Gilbert, 111, Dillon,

Montana (MacKenzie)

John North and Lon J. Maxwell, Dept. of State
Lands, Helena, Montana

Submitted: January 23, 1992
Decided: May 7, 1992


Filed:




Clerk


Justice R. C. McDonough
delivered the Opinion of the Court.

This is an appeal from an order of the Water Court forfeiting appellants' water rights for failing to timely file a claim pursuant to 5
85-2-226, MCA. The Water Court upheld the constitutionality of g
85-2-226, MCA, finding that its application works as a forfeiture and not an abandonment. The appellants, whose water rights were dismissed, request this Court to reverse the Water Court and declare 5
85-2-226, MCA, unconstitutional. We affirm.
We will review the following issues.

I. Does Article IX, Section 3, of the Montana Constitution protect pre-1973 water rights from legislative forfeiture?
11. Does 5
85-2-226, MCA, violate the due process clauses of Article 11, Section 17, of the Montana Constitution and the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution?
111.
Does forfeiture of water rights under

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Montana Law