Minidoka Irrigation District v. Department of the Interior

The Minidoka Irrigation District (“MID”) appeals the district court’s grant of summary judgment to the defendants. The district court found that the United States repudiated its contract with MID as early as 1968 and no later than 1985. MID claims that there are genuine issues of material fact making summary judgment improper. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291 . We reverse and remand in part and affirm in part.

Facts and Procedural Background

The Minidoka Project is an irrigation project constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) under the Reclamation Act of 1902. MID is one of two irrigation districts in the Minidoka Project; the other district being the Burley Irrigation District (“BID”). Construction of a power plant began in 1908, with completion of six generating units by 1927. The users of Minidoka Project water paid water charges that covered the return of the Project costs. The construction debt was fully repaid by June of 1964.

In 1926, Congress passed an act granting MID the right to receive benefits from Subsection I of the 1924 Fact Finders Act. Subsection I provided that MID (and BID) would be credited with any net profits derived from the…