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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />COLORADO <br />STATE environmental resources center <br />UNIVERSITY <br /> <br />Fa FIT COLLINS <br />COLORADO <br />80521 January 9, 1975 <br /> <br />The Director <br />Office of Water Research & Technology <br />U. S. Department of Interior <br />Washington, DC 20240 <br /> <br />Dear Sir: <br /> <br />This will transmit a proposal for your consideration under the Title II <br />Research Program. The proposal meets objectives under Title II priority con- <br />cerning Indian self-determination. It is specifically oriented toward the Ute <br />Indian Tribe of Southwestern Colorado and the 4-corners area of Utah, Arizona, <br />New Mexico and Colorado, a major Indian nation of the southwest. <br /> <br />The Ute Tribe hold lands of high recreation and tourism potential which <br />they wish to exploit in improving their economic stability. Water is a key <br />factor in every aspect of economic development for the Indian tribes. The <br />Secretary of the Interior includes among his duties the trusteeship of water <br />rights and resources for the Indian tribes who have, in recent years, asserted <br />numerous claims to the use of water. These have included conventional water <br />rights applications in accordance with state law and so-called "reserved <br />rights" claims under the "Hinters" Doctrine (Winters v. United States, <br />207 U.S. 564, 1908). The results of this study will be useful in the decision- <br />making processes yet to come concerning reasonable water resource requirements <br />in connection with these claims. <br /> <br />This proposed study will add important information concerning water needs <br />and the role of water in the quality of life for the Indian tribes. The <br />information will be useful, not only to the Secretary of the Interior, but to <br />the various state water agencies and officials dealing with allocation and <br />administration of water supplies. <br /> <br />I am pleased to recommend this proposal because it will contribute toward <br />the solution of a major regional problem ranking high in the priority listing <br />of the Department of the Interior and of the Colorado River Basin. The <br />investigators are unusually well qualified by experience in working with the <br />Indian tribes of the region. They have obtained commitments from the tribal <br />leaders who are in full support of the project, and will thus be able to move <br />forward rapidly in the study. <br /> <br />sm <br />Enc. <br /> <br />_~?urs tru1Y'ft, 1 / <br />/ift:;.~ <br />ll'1':'~J1~t. ;ze-0:c9' <br />Norman A. Evans <br />Director <br /> <br /> <br />F'- <br />