Ravndal v. Northfork Placers

BUDGE, J. —

Respondents own and farm a strip of about 25 acres of land along the Northfork River, Lemhi county, raising mostly hay and grain, using water taken from the river for irrigation. Appellant lessee of the Sundown Placer Mines, situated on the west side of the Northfork River some five miles above respondents’ land uses the hydraulic system for the recovery of gold from its placer holdings. Appellant takes water from the river uses it in its hydraulic process or “Giants,” washing the silt, sand and gravel, extracting the gold and returning the water and the remainder to the river.…