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63/26/2664 :13:31 7264896524 FAX 001112 Completion of the Animas-La Plata Project is critical to preserving the benefits of the 1986 settlement Agreement with the Ute Tribes and the stability that it brings to the citizens of the San Juan River Basin. Accomplishing these. results has required v~s~on, extraordinary leadership, respect for the needs of all sides, a willingness to listen to and explore new solutions, and a commitment to stay at the table until a solution is reached. To fully understand the importance of the Animas-La Plata project in this process, it helps to review the history of the Reservations, the Animas-La Plata Project and the 1986 Settlement Agreement. Bistod.cal Context The original' Ute Reservation was esta.blished by treaty in 1868, prior to the arrival of non-Indian settlers to the area. The arrival of non-Indians resulted in conflicts, and reconfiguration of; the Reservation lands. In 18 9 5, Indians living 'on the Reservation were given the option of settling on 160 acre allotments, or moving to the western portion of the Reservation. Non-Indians were able to acquire some of these allotments as well. In 1934 this homesteading process was closed. The result was the present configuration of checkerboard Indian and non-Indian lands on the Southern Ute Reservation and the contiguous plock nature of the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation. These lands are downstream fram non-Indian development in Colorado. Almost every river in southwestern Colorado passes through one or both of' the Reservations. The rights of Indian Tribes to reserved water is based on the date of the reservation. In the late 1800' S, non-Indian irrigation was beginning upstream from the Reservation, on the pine River. The Southern Ute Tribe filed claims for irrigation purposes in 1895, and water litigation ensued which lasted until 1930 I when a federal court awarded the Indian claimants the number one water right on the Pine River. This created a severe water shortage for the non-Indian irrigators, and resulted in the construction of Vallecito Dam in 1941, to serve both Indian and non-Indian lands. In contrast, the Mancos proj ect was developed on the Mancos River by 1950. Although the Mancos River is the primary river through the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation, the Tribe did not receive the benefit of water service from the Project. In fact, the town of Towaoc, which is on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation, did not even have a potable water supply until 1990, as part of the implementation of terms under the 1986 Settlement Agreement. Colorado receives, year to is a 16.5 year. semi-arid state inches on average, Droughts occur and the precipitation it varies significantly from frequently and can last 2 I -- PAGE 63/88