Laserfiche WebLink
<br />V' <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />lJu.I<; <br />3/~'1lg6 <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />000473 <br /> <br />SETTLEMENT OF COLORADO UTE INDIAN TRIBESlJt;:;" rr,::;,., <br />RESERVED WATER RIGHTS . I/h 't.i31/tJf'i;ffI <br />An Agreement In Principle /{~Y!)t? I:: " ~ ~', <br />SUMMARY ,CiJJ:o-~ 9du <br />CONS!: ITIjDt;~~,." , <br />~f?It;q ?iO,~ij/j 'tIT <br />I, Introduction IV 80/jI?D <br /> <br />This Agreement in Principle has been executed by the State of Colorado, <br />the present non-Indian water users represented by the Animas-LaPlata Water <br />Conservancy District, Dolores Water Conservancy District, Florida Water <br />Conservancy District, Mancos Water Conservancy District, and Southwestern <br />Colorado Water Conservation District, and by the potential claimants to the <br />use of most of the same water, namely, the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern <br />Ute Indian Tribes, Pertinent events that made this agreement mandatory include <br />the following: <br />(a) In 1968 the Congress authorized the construction of the Animas- <br />LaPlata and Dolores Projects in order to help in resolving lOa years of conflict <br /> <br /> <br />, <br />between Federal and State claims to the right to use waters of the Colorado <br />River System apportioned to Colorado and New Mexico by the Colorado River <br />Compact and the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact; <br />(b) the Animas-LaPlata Project has suffered delay after delay in construc- <br />tion; although it has always been considered a key element in supplying water <br />to the area in such a manner that the dispute over Federal water rights for the <br />Indians and water rights of the non-Indian water users could be settled without <br />injury to either of the collective parties; <br />(c) in 1976, comprehenSive Federal Winters water rights claims were <br />flied on behalf of the two Indian Tribes on virtually all of the rivers in south- <br />western Colorado; <br />(d) in its 1985 Supplemental Appropriation Act the Congress required <br />Colorado and New Mexico water users to enter into a cost-sharing/financing <br /> <br />, <br />