United States v. Barthelmess Ranch Corp.

¶1 This is an appeal by Barthelmess Ranch, Double 0 Ranch, William French, Conni French, Craig French and M Cross Cattle (the Objectors) from the Water Court’s August 11, 2015 Order Granting Partial Summary Judgment and Order Remanding to the Master. We affirm.

¶2 We restate the issues on appeal as follows:

Issue One: Whether the Water Court erred in concluding that the United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) holds stockwatering rights under Montana law in reservoirs constructed on federal land for the use of permittees.

Issue Two: Whether the Water Court erred in concluding that the…