Abatti v. Imperial Irrigation District
The court held that the Imperial Irrigation District's 2013 Equitable Distribution Plan was lawful, affirming the district's discretionary authority to apportion water among agricultural, municipal, and industrial users and rejecting the farmer-trust's claim to a vested, specific water entitlement, thereby establishing that water-right interests held by a decedent's trust are subject to the district's equitable allocation scheme rather than a proprietary right.
Date Filed: August 05, 2020
Case Name: Abatti v. Imperial Irrigation District
Case Number: D072850M
Court: California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division One
(‘The Court addresses whether a farmer‑trust can force an irrigation district to deliver a fixed amount of water based on historic use. It holds that the district’s 2013 Equitable Distribution Plan is not unlawful; the district’s discretion in apportioning water among agricultural, municipal and industrial users is affirmed and the trust’s claim to a vested, specific water entitlement is rejected. This matters for probate because it confirms that water‑right interests owned by a decedent’s trust are subject to the district’s equitable allocation scheme rather than a proprietary right, limiting the ability of estates to assert guaranteed water allocations.’, ‘728acc5f’)
This case summary was prepared for educational purposes. For the authoritative version, please refer to the full opinion or the official California Courts website.