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Show 538 DIFFUSED SURFACE WATERS Essential Characteristics of Diffused Surface Waters Essential characteristics of diffused surface waters may be broadly classified as those relating to their origin, their situation, and their duration. Origin No permanent source of water supply. -Diffused surface water may originate from any natural source. But, as contrasted with water of a watercourse, diffused surface waters have no permanent source of water supply.7 Precipitation, springs, swamps.-Diffused surface waters may originate from rain and melting snow.8 Precipitation falling upon the land is the chief source of these waters. Diffused surface waters may likewise have their origin in springs.9 They also may originate in swamps.10 In a North Dakota case, the waters of a stream emptied into a swale and there spread over considerable areas and lost all identity as a stream. Being commingled there with diffused surface waters from other sources, they were held to have become diffused surface waters.11 Flood overflows.-In times of flood, water may overflow the banks of a stream, part or all of which may either drain back into the stream channel as ''County of Scotts Bluff v. Hartwig, 160 Nebr. 823, 828-829, 71 N.W. (2d) 507 (1955); Froemke v. Parker, 41 N. Dak. 408, 416, 171 N.W. 284 (1919). "Surface waters, in a technical sense, are waters of a casual or vagrant character having a temporary source, and which diffuse themselves over the surface of the ground, following no definite course or defined channel * * *." Dahlgren v. Chicago, M. &P. S. R.R., 85 Wash. 395, 405, 148 Pac. 567 (1915). [Emphasis supplied.] "Everett v. Davis, 18 Cal. (2d) 389, 393, 115 Pac. (2d) 821 (1941); Johnson v. Johnson, 89 Colo. 273, 276-277, 1 Pac. (2d) 581 (1931); Washington County Irr. Dist. v. Talboy, 55 Idaho 382, 389, 43 Pac (2d) 943 (1935); Gibbs v. Williams, 25 Kans. 214, 215-216, 220-221 (1881); Doney v. Beatty, 124 Mont. 41, 51, 220 Pac. (2d) 77 (1950);Block v. Franzen, 163 Nebr. 270, 277-278, 79 N.W. (2d) 446 (1956); Barnes v. Sabron, 10 Nev. 217, 236-237 (1875); Froemke v. Parker, 41 N. Dak. 408, 415, 171 N.W. 284 (1919); Jefferson v. Hicks, 23 Okla. 684, 692, 102 Pac. 79 (1909); Wellman v. Kelley, 197 Oreg. 553, 560, 252 Pac. (2d) 816 (1953); Terry v. Heppner, 59 S. Dak. 317, 318, 239 N.W. 759 (1931); McKell v. Spanish Fork City, 6 Utah (2d) 92, 96, 305 Pac. (2d) 1097 (1957); Alexander v. Muenscher, 7 Wash. (2d) 557, 559-560, 110 Pac. (2d) 625 (1941); Riggs Oil Co. v. Gray, 46 Wyo. 504, 509, 512, 30 Pac. (2d) 145 (1934); Cairo, Vincennes & Chicago R.R. v. Brevoort, 62 Fed. 129,133 (C.C.D. Ind. 1894). 9 San Gabriel Valley Country Club v. County of Los Angeles, 182 Cal. 392, 398,188 Pac. 554 (1920); Lackaff v. Bogue, 158 Nebr. 174, 186-187, 62 N.W. (2d) 889 (1954); Anderson v. Drake, 24 S. Dak. 216, 220-221, 123 N.W. 673 (1909); Alexander v. Muenscher, 7 Wash. (2d) 557, 559-560,110 Pac. (2d) 625 (1941). 10 Week v. Los Angeles County Flood Control Dist, 80 Cal. App. (2d) 182,193,181 Pac. (2d) 935 (1947). 11 Davenport Township v. Leonard Township, 22 N. Dak. 152, 157-158, 133 N.W. 56 (1911). |