9367 ‎(2)‎

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9367
• Author: Colorado Water Workshop.
• Title: Proceedings
• USFW Year: 1992.
• USFW - Doc Type: Colorado Water Workshop July 22-24, 1992.
• Copyright Material: NO

Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Representative

Jerald Peabody
Ute Mountain Ute Representative

For someone that did not have very much to say, he sure stood up
here a long time.
There were many references made in regards to what we were
actually going to be doing with some of the partnership's ideas. We
are well aware that many of the Native American tribes do not have
expertise within their ranks. I think it is one of the ultimate goals
of all of the Indian tribes to educate more of our young people so
that in the future when we call upon lawyers, there will be Native
Americans, also. Right now we have to make do with what we have. I
am not putting down Scott, or Dan, or any of the others. They do a
good job for the tribes. However, we have to make sure that they do
what we want and not what they want.
The Navajo nation, as far as tribes are concerned, is the largest
tribe in the southwest, or as far as all of the Native Americans are
concerned, they are the largest. Therefore, every time we have
negotiating teams, or we have representation, it always come out that
the Navajo nation gets their own. You kind of have to watch George
and the rest of them, and try to work with them to make sure they do
what we are asking, also.
I would like to thank the sponsors and the co-sponsors, as well
as Western State College, for giving us the opportunity to come and
speak on behalf of Native Americans in the western states. I do
appreciate it and it is a great honor for me to stand up here in front
of you and share my viewpoints, as one of the younger members of
tribal council. There was a question in regards to continuity. I
happen to be a product of the second generation of water leaders for
the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. For many years we had Mr. Earnest Howe,
Sr., a member of council for the last sixteen years, as our water
representative from tribal council. He felt that it was time he give
up the reins and give us younger people an opportunity. So, there is
continuity, and hopefully, it will continue into the future.
I would like to start off, my name is Gerald Peabody and I live
in Towaoc, Colorado, and I am a member of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe.
I am also a member of the tribal counsel and a member of the three
person negotiation team representing the Colorado River Tribal
Partnership. As a member of the negotiating team, I am responsible
for pursuing the water issue discussions with the seven basin states
of the Colorado River. These discussions relate to all aspects of
water development and preservation on the Colorado River, including.
environmental protection, development of water resources on the
reservations, and the possibilities of leasing water.
My comments, today, set forth the views of one Indian leader as
they relate to water resource development and the leasing of the
Colorado River.
Indian water rights are an important tribal economic asset. I
have lived most of my life on Ute Mountain Indian reservation. On the
reservation there are two types of assets, the natural resources

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