Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District v. Dickie

Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District (SVID) maintains irrigation ditches, commonly referred to as laterals, in the Yakima County region. In general, adjacent landowners have granted express floating or roving easements to SVID to enter land adjacent to the laterals and remove any sediment and growth collected over time that obstructs the flow of water. This case involves easements for the Matheson 2.68 lateral (lateral). The issue is whether the parties intended widening of the easement to accommodate increased irrigation demands and the use of more efficient maintenance equipment. SVID…