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<br />0679 <br /> <br />3. Irrigation Water <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />A. Irrigation construction costs are deferred under the ~eavitt <br /> <br /> <br />Act, The important thing is to make sure that the delivery <br /> <br /> <br />system is designed and constructed to deliver water to the <br /> <br /> <br />best possible land with the lowest possible annual operation, <br /> <br /> <br />maintenance, and replacement costs. <br /> <br />B. That $2,825,000 of the $9j6 million that the government is saving <br />by constructing the Highline Canal (Plan B), and/or a portion <br />of any additional savings resulting from design modification of <br />the Definite Plan Report agreed to by the Tribe should be <br />placed in a restricted irrigation development and maj.ntenance <br />fund. The interest from this fund will be used to pay annual <br />irrigation maintenance and operation expenses and to finance <br />farm development and equipment needed as the Tribe decides to <br />bring blocks of irrigated land under cultivation, or to develop <br />additional stock watering systems. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />c. <br /> <br />The arrangement outlined in Item B above would allow the Tribe <br />to expand agricultural production at its own pace without <br />indebtedness or financial risk. <br /> <br />D. The Tribe can also explore possibilities for both short and <br /> <br /> <br />long-term lease agreements with non-Indian farmers to generate <br /> <br /> <br />revenues and achieve development of lands which the ~ribe is <br /> <br />not ready to develop itself. If and when the Tribe is ready <br /> <br /> <br />to reclaim leased lands, development financing will be <br /> <br /> <br />available from the irrigation Jeveiopment fund, <br /> <br />4 . <br /> <br />Independent Engineering Assistance <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The Water Task Force and the Tribal Council, in order to implement <br /> <br /> <br />the above recommendations, will be faced with a number of technical <br /> <br /> <br />questions in regard to the design of the municipal and irrigation <br /> <br />delivery systems as well as the selection of the best lands to be <br /> <br /> <br />irrigated. To date, the Tribe has been in the position of trying <br /> <br /> <br />to evaluate complex and sometimes conflicting data and technical <br /> <br /> <br />input, often coming from the very agencies with whom the Tribe needs <br /> <br />to negotiate, A top-notch engineering firm, with solid farm <br /> <br />-5- <br />