WSP09123

• File Number: 8220.106
• Description: Animas-La Plata
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 5/7/1992
• Title: Agenda Item 9b Matter in Litigation Four Corners Action Coalition v. Underwood
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Board Memo

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ute Dam totals 70,000 acre-feet with an active capacity of
40,000 acre-feet.

The scope of the project has not been changed, but the
timing of construction has been phased. Project construction
was divided into two phases by the June 30, 1986 agreement.
Phase I would be accomplished under the direction of the
Bureau of Reclamation and requires significant nonfederal cost
sharing. It consists primarily of the delivery of
supplemental and new agricultural water to lands already under
irrigation and to be irrigated (both Indian and nonIndian)
within the major boundaries of the reservation and M&I water
for several entities. Ridges Basin Reservoir is a part of
Phase I. Phase II is an entirely nonfederal obligation.
Phase II involves pumping water to lands on both reservations
which have not been irrigated previously.

The earliest Bureau of Reclamation investigations of the
Animas and La Plata Rivers date back to 1904. Feasibility
investigations were first initiated in 1955 and the report was
completed in February, 1962. In March, 1966, a supplement to
the feasibility report of 1962 was prepared in order to allow
for additional municipal and industrial water. The project
was authorized under the Colorado River Basin Project Act of
September 30, 1968 (P.L. 90-537). Advance planning studies
were initiated in 1971 with funds contributed by the state of
Colorado and local water user organizations. In 1974, advance
planning studies were curtailed by the Office of Management
and Budget pending a review of the project I s effect on
salinity increases to the Colorado River system.

In 1976, the united States as trustee for the Ute
Mountain Ute and Southern Ute Indian Tribes filed in state
water court claims for federal reserved water rights. The
claims covered eleven different stream basins in southwest
Colorado and the earliest appropriation date requested was
1868. Due to the potential disruption that the Indian
reserved right claims could cause to the economy of
southwestern Colorado, two major documents have been signed:
The December 10, 1986 Indian Water Rights Settlement and the
Agreement in Principle Concerning the Binding Agreement for
Animas-La Plata Project cost sharing between Colorado and New
Mexico, the Department of Interior and the tribes..June 30,
1986. The Cost Sharing Agreement resulted in the following:

I. Establishment of tribal development funds. $40.5 million
for the Ute Mountain Utes, $20.0 million for the Southern
utes. Funds have been paid over to the tribes on
December 19, 1991.

A. State of Colorado. $5 million total contribution
to the tribal development fund of each tribe

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