[muawiyah]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_right ~ worth reading through as a brief on the matter. Noticed that there's an act that has the United States voluntarily agreeing to resolve water rights issues involving federal 'reserves' in state courts.

These folks are probably the first users and own the water!

[Don Corleone]

These folks are probably the first users and own the water!

That land more than likely devolved from old Spanish Land Grants to perhaps the Indians and then miners claims after the Gadsden purchase...which BTW guaranteed all previous boundaries and claims would be recognized. Very very unclear title searches there.