THE DELTONA CORPORATION, APPELLANT/CROSS-APPELLEE,
v.
NORMA E. ADAMCZYK, APPELLEE/CROSS-APPELLANT

Fla. 5th DCA | 1986-08-07
No. 85-1297
COBB and SHARP, JJ., concur.
492 So. 2d 463 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fifth District (1986) Positive Treatment
Cited by 2 cases

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Synopsis

A Florida appellate court upheld a riparian owner's award of money damages for water-related harm caused by a land developer's drainage and pumping activities on a shared lake, and reversed the denial of injunctive relief by imposing a permanent injunction prohibiting the developer from altering the lake's natural water levels and conditions in any way that injures the riparian owner's property.


Holding

The court affirmed the award of money damages for past injuries but reversed the denial of injunctive relief. A permanent injunction was imposed prohibiting Deltona from draining, pumping, or otherwise interfering with the natural quantity and quality of water in Evans Lake to any extent that causes damage to Adamczyk's lands or injures her property interests, while allowing Deltona reasonable use of its ownership interest in the lake.


Headnotes

[1] A riparian owner is entitled to an injunction against another riparian owner whose drainage and pumping of water into a lake causes damage to the first owner's lands.

[2] Injunctive relief is appropriate when a party's actions are likely to result in a multiplicity of suits and cause irreparable harm that cannot be adequately compensated b…

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Key Quotes

“However, any use of Evans Lake by appellant that causes damages or injury to appellee in her ownership interest in Evans Lake is unreasonable and should be enjoined.”

Establishes the standard for determining when water manipulation by the developer becomes actionable and subject to injunction—when it causes actual damage or injury to the riparian owner's interests.

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Facts & Procedural History

Appellee Adamczyk owns the north two-thirds of Evans Lake, while appellant Deltona Corporation owns the south one-third. Deltona caused water to be dr…

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Opinion of the Court
COWART, Judge.

COWART, Judge.

This case involves an injunction against draining and pumping water into a lake when such actions injure a riparian owner. Appellee owns lands including the north two-thirds of Evans (Baton) Lake. Appellant, a land development company, owns lands including the south one-third of Evans Lake. In developing and maintaining its lands, appellant caused water to be drained into Evans Lake that did not do so naturally and, at times, has pumped and drained water from the area of Clear Lake into Evans Lake and has pumped water from Evans Lake to other locations in order to protect developed lands. Alleging that such drainage and pumping had at times flooded Evans Lake and killed trees on, and caused other damage to, appellee’s lands, appellee sought money damages from, and injunctive relief against, appellant. The trial court found in favor of appellee and awarded money damages but denied injunctive relief. Appellant appeals the award of money damages and appellee cross-appeals the denial of injunctive relief.

The evidence supports the award of money damages. However, we also find the facts compel the conclusion that, if not enjoined, it is sufficiently probable that appellant’s continued drainage and pumping of water into Evans Lake will result in a multiplicity of suits and further injury to appellee of a nature that cannot be adequately compensated by money damages and that a permanent injunction should be issued. Appellant is entitled to make reasonable use of its ownership interest in Evans Lake; therefore, an injunction against all drainage and pumping would be unreasonable. However, any use of Evans Lake by appellant that causes damages or injury to appellee in her ownership interest in Evans Lake is unreasonable and should be enjoined.

We affirm the award of money damages for past injury but remand with directions that appellant be permanently enjoined from draining or pumping water into, or out of, Evans Lake or from otherwise interfering with the natural quantity and quality of water in Evans Lake to any extent or degree that causes damage to appellee’s lands or otherwise injures appellee. If appellant must choose between draining or pumping water into Evans Lake to protect or benefit other lands, or not draining or pumping water into Evans Lake to prevent damage or injury to appellee, it must make any such decision at its own peril. The risk of the consequences of appellant’s actions should be on appellant. If appellant does not desire to assume that risk it can be avoided merely by refraining from interfering with the natural level and condition of Evans Lake.

AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART; and REMANDED.

COBB and SHARP, JJ., concur.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Hall v. City OF Orlando, 555 So. 2d 963 (Fla. 5th DCA 1990)
    …ficiently probable that the City’s drainage system will result in a multiplicity of suits and injury to Hall of a nature that cannot be compensated by money damages. Thus, a temporary injunction should be issued. See Deltona Corporation v. Adamczyk, 492 So. 2d 463 (Fla. 5th DCA 1986). In Deltona, the owner of a portion of a lake filed suit against Deltona Corporation, a co-owner of the lake, seeking injunctive relief and monetary damages. The owner alleged that Deltona had pumped water into the lake, thus ca…

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