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<br />4151 <br /> <br />future. <br /> <br />VIII. Summary <br /> <br />The San Juan River basin presents a unique situation. <br />There are four federally recognized Indian tribes within the <br />basin. with regard to three of the four tribes, there are spe- <br />cific federal water development plans intended to fulfill, in <br />part, federal trust obligations to these tribes. The FWS is <br />mindful of the trust obligation to the tribes as well as its <br />obligation to conserve the endangered fish. Non-Indian water <br />development pressures within the basin are also high. Concerns <br />about disparate treatment among groups entitled to and needful of <br />the water resources of the San Juan River broaden the issues to <br />be considered during the settlement of the Ute claims, making <br />negotiations more difficult and consensus harder to reach. <br />Despite this, the parties in the San Juan River basin have con- <br />tinued to negotiate by emphasizing their commitment to a success- <br />ful resolution of the shared problem. <br /> <br />Although the success of the parties' venture will be not <br />be known for years, the new roadmap for resolution is in place <br />and the next chapter of the of the Colorado Ute Settlement is <br />beginning. Suffice to say, however, that the process has not <br />been easy. Meeting the needs of existing water users, new water <br /> <br />-17- <br />