WSPC05818

• File Number: 8064
• Description: Federal Water Rights - Colorado Indian Negotiations
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 12/31/1992
• Author: Various
• Title: Colorado Ute Indian Water Rights Settlement Agreement - Animas-La Plata
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: News Article/Press Release

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Then in 1988, Congress enacted the Colorado ute Settlement Act

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which quantified all of the water rights of the Southern ute Tribe

and the ute Mountain ute Indian Tribe, 100 Stat. 585.

Some of

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those water rights are in direct stream flow and others in storage
projects either previously constructed, like the Pine River
Project, or under, construction, like the Dolores Project. For

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example, under the Dolores Project, the ute Mountain ute Tribe is
currently developing 22,500 acre-feet for irrigated agriculture

probably the last significant irrigated agriculture to be developed

in the Upper Basin, except for continuing development at NIIP. A

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critical component of the settlement is the construction of the

Animas-La Plata to provide water supplies for both Tribes for both
irrigation and M & I purposes., Under the settlement the Tribes

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each received a development fund to assist 'in reviving their

impoverished economies.

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And in 1992 Congress enacted HR 522, the Jicarilla Apache

Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act.

This settlement, like the

Colorado Ute Settlement, but unlike ,the authorization for NIIP,

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represents a full and final settlement of the water rights claims

of the Jicarilla Tribe to the waters of the Colorado River. Under

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the settlement the Secretary is to make available to the Tribe up

to 32,000 acre-feet depletion from the Navajo Reservoir, Navajo

River, and San Juan-ChamaProject. This water, like waters secured

to the Colorado Ute Indians, may be used for a variety of purpQ$es

including leasing of water which is otherwise compatible with

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