October Term 2004 · Docket 105 ORIG.
Should the Court appoint a river master to manage water disputes?
Kansas and Colorado dispute how to measure water usage and whether a new official should oversee the process.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Kansas advocate John Draper presented three issues for the Court.
United States advocate Feldman agreed with Colorado on the river master issue.
Colorado advocate Robbins disputed the similarity of other river compacts.
Justices questioned the logic of using a ten-year model for dry years.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 33-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 25-9 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 25-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 41, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 1-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 1-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 13-25
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Kansas argues the current water measurement method is flawed. The state wants a river master to manage the dispute. Colorado opposes appointing a new official. It argues the existing legal framework handles the issue well.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 25-9 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 25-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 41, lines 15-17
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 4, 2004.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-13
What each side wants
Kansas wants the Court to appoint a river master to manage the water dispute.
Colorado wants the Court to reject the appointment of a river master.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 25-9 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 25-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 41, lines 15-17
What each side says
Kansas argues the current ten-year model unfairly penalizes dry years.
Colorado argues the existing decree and model adequately conserve subsurface reservoirs.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 25-9 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 25-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 41, lines 15-17
What the justices asked
Justice Scalia asked why the Court should not average the methodology over seven years.
Justice Kennedy asked if the decree aims to conserve subsurface reservoirs.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 33-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 1-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 1-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 13-25
Why it matters
The outcome determines how states calculate water credits during dry years. It also decides whether a new official manages interstate water disputes. This affects future resource allocation between neighboring states.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 25-9 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 25-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 41, lines 15-17
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 33-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 1-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 1-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 13-25
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 25-9 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 25-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 41, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 25-9 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 25-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 41, lines 15-17
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.