Supreme Court Declines California Water District’s Takings Case

The US Supreme Court declined Monday to consider whether the government’s orders to a California water district to divert less water violates the takings clause under the Constitution.

United Water Conservation District’s petition for writ of certiorari was denied, sealing review of a federal appeals court ruling that held water level requirements for the Santa Clara River were “nonpossessory government activity.”

The case centers on a National Marine Fisheries Service letter instructing the water district to use almost 50,000 acre-feet of water for aquifer restoration and groundwater supply after takings of the endangered steelhead trout were reported from United’s ...