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<br />Joaquin, Sacramento and North Coastal basins
<br />appear bleak. The Sierra snow pack is only 50% of
<br />average and precipitation to date is only 63%.
<br />
<br />However, reservoir storage improved substantially
<br />following last year's generally wet winter and above
<br />average runoff. Storage is above average in Arizona,
<br />Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming
<br />and 100% of average in California. Reservoir levels
<br />are near, but below, average in Oregon and Utah, and
<br />well below average in Nevada and Washington.
<br />
<br />WATER RIGHTS
<br />
<br />Utah/Indian Reserved Rights
<br />
<br />The Business Committee of the Uintah and Ouray
<br />Indian Tribe has recently taken two actions concerning
<br />water resource management. On January 25, the
<br />Tribe sent the Central Utah Water Conservancy District
<br />(CUWCD) a bill for $33M for "use and delivery" of
<br />60,000 acre feet of Rock Creek water commencing
<br />June 1, 1989. The water was used to maintain
<br />minimum stream flows in the Bonneville Basin, thus
<br />damaging the Rock Creek fishery, according to the
<br />tribe. CUWCD is the multi-county agency responsible
<br />for completion of the Central Utah Project (CUP).
<br />
<br />The bill to the CUWCD is for a total of 300,000
<br />acre-feet used for the past five years, at $120 per
<br />acre-foot per year. The district charges farmers about
<br />$8 an .<:lcre-foot. Last month the district's board
<br />signed a cooperative agreement with the Secretary of
<br />the Interior to involve the Ute tribe in completion and
<br />operation of the CUP. The Tribe's business
<br />committee, however, was not directly involved in
<br />agreement negotiations. "We have instructed our
<br />legal people to get on the ball and get this moving,"
<br />Ute Business Committee Chair Stewart Pike told the
<br />Salt Lake Tribune. "We have to look at marketing
<br />water for a potential revenue source," he added.
<br />
<br />Utah State Engineer Bob Morgan responded that
<br />the state has been trying for years to reach an
<br />agreement 'concerning the Ute's water rights. "The
<br />compact in their hands now defines the quantilication
<br />of their water rights and how they will be compensated
<br />for those rights," he said. "But, the tribe has not
<br />chosen to endorse that compact as yet." Morgan
<br />disagreed that the tribe has been "shorted" in their
<br />rights. "If they want to ...market ...water out of state,
<br />
<br />they are going to face a lot of institutional problems
<br />that will be high hurdles for them to go over."
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />On January 27, representatives of the Ute
<br />Business Committee met in Las Vegas with
<br />representatives of the Southern Nevada Water
<br />Authority. The purpose of the meeting, according to
<br />the Tribe's press release, "was to exchange
<br />information relating both to Nevada's need for
<br />additional municipal and industrial water and to the
<br />Tribe's potential surplus of Reservation water." The
<br />press release continues, "As a member of the
<br />Colorado River Tribes Partnership, a group of ten
<br />Indian Tribes with water rights in the main stem and
<br />tributaries of the Colorado River, the Ute Tribe is
<br />exploring ways in which to generate new revenues
<br />from its water resources." It concludes, "The Tribe
<br />currently is in the process of evaluating the alternative
<br />potentiai uses of its r"salVation water rights. When
<br />that process is completed, the Tribe intends to meet
<br />with federal officials as well as the representatives from
<br />the Colorado River basin states to discuss its
<br />findings."
<br />
<br />PUBUCATlONS
<br />
<br />The University of Colorado Natural Resources Law
<br />Center (NRLC) has recently published Instream Flow
<br />Protection in the West: Revised Edition - 1993, with
<br />Lawrence J. MacDonnell and Teresa A. Rice as
<br />editors, In 1989 the Center issued its first publication
<br />on state and federal policies and programs providing
<br />legal protection for instream uses of water in the
<br />western states. That volume is out of print. The
<br />Center is now offering a revised and enlarged version
<br />of the book, which describes many changes and
<br />developments in law and policy. Copies are $22, plus
<br />$3 shipping and handling. For information call the
<br />NRLC at (303) 492-1288.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />MEETINGS
<br />
<br />The Federal Bar Association's 19th Annual Indian
<br />Law Conference will be held April 7-8 in Albuquerque.
<br />For information call (202) 638-0252,
<br />
<br />Wildland Hydrology Consultants is accepting
<br />advanced registration for a series of short courses
<br />entitled "Applied Fluvial Geomorphology." The first
<br />course will be held May 2-6 at the Fairfield Pagosa
<br />Resort. For information call (303) 731-4424.
<br />
<br />The WESTERN STATES WATER COUNCIL is an organization of representatives appointed by the Governors of .
<br />member states - Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon,
<br />South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, and associate member states Montana and Oklahoma
<br />
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