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<br />,/c;\ <br />.'" -?1 <br />':~t, <br /> <br />~.....?>....". <br />U <br />'-ri <br /> <br />, . <br /> <br />Because the resenati01l8 were created prior to non-Indian <br />aettl_nt in the Pour Corners Area, the tribes' rights on local <br />rivers would receive the highest priority and would curtail other <br />water uses until the lncU.an water 'right req~rements were <br />satisfied. <br /> <br />~ . <br /> <br />The Bureau of Indian Affairs bas ude a detailed prelilll1nary <br />analysis of the agricultur41 water cla1u of the two tribes, and <br />the State Eogineer of Colorado bas attellpted to. project the <br />1apaet of the Ind1aD cla1ma on non-Indlan water users. On those <br />stre/llll8 and rivers with lrlsh water use, tribal da1.1l& could bave <br />e aevere iiapact on 1IU1licipal and industrial water users. In the <br />Haaeos and La nata liver drainages, for example, all nOll-Indian <br />in1aation would be eu.1nated, and even then tribal daiu would <br />only be partially satisfied. <br /> <br />'the pr1aary source of Duraogo's lIun1cipal water, the llorida <br />liver, could also 'receive a s1gn1f1c:ant illpact frOll tribal <br />claills. On the Aaiaas liver, where the city's water rights are <br />leu reUable, the aitusttOll could be even worse. In fact, <br />eluriog years of water shortaae tbll Incl1antribes could well be <br />the only ..jor water users on n_rous streaIIB and rivers in the <br />San Juan liver BsalD. After years of plalln1og, the An1IIas-La <br />Plata Project is the 1Il0st feasible solution to el1l11natiog <br />c_petit1on between the Indian Tribes and non-Indian water users. <br /> <br />Current Status <br /> <br />On August 15, 1985, President Beagan s1gned Public Law 99-88 <br />appropriatiog c01l8truction funds for the project, subject to a <br />cost-sbariog aareement beiog completed by June 30, 1985. The <br />agreement is now belog negotiated by the Cost Sbarill8 <br />Subeolllll1ttee of the Colorado Ute Tribes Vater IU.ghtB Negot1atiog <br />Forum, cOlllposed of representatives of the U.S. Departlllent of the <br />Interior, the States of Colorado and New Mexico, the Southern Ute <br />and Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribes, and water districts and <br />dties tba~ would receive project water. <br /> <br />7 <br />