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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />DOOBSl <br /> <br />INTERIORl DEPARTMENT OF THE <br />INDIAN AFFAIRS, BUREAU OF <br />BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS PROGRAM IN THE MISSOURI RIVER BASIN <br /> <br />Program <br /> <br />We are carrying on a three-level program briefly described as follows: <br /> <br />(1) Rehabilitation and continued operation and maintenance <br />of existing irrigation and power projects, involving <br />expenditure of construction funds and funds derived <br />through assessment of the local water users, <br /> <br />(2) Ongoing water resource inventories, by way of deter- <br />mining the nature and extent of potential, multi- <br />purpose projects. These studies include water require- <br />ments, water supply and preliminary plan formulation. <br /> <br />(3) Confirmation of Indian water rights, essentially <br />through gathering of evidence showing existing and <br />future development of multipurpose water resource <br />projects and following through with litigation sup- <br />port when and where required. <br /> <br />Funding <br /> <br />To date we have carried on this three-level program with funds allocated <br />to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, without having recourse to Missouri River <br />Basin funds. From time to time, however, in various comprehensive river <br />basin group meetings, our representatives have submitted tentative estimates <br />of costs anticipated in carrying out our total program, contingent on the <br />best available information we had at the time. It will be recognized we <br />have had to revise our estimates as the work has progressed, to reflect <br />changes in the basic requirements, or just to keep up with current cost <br />trends, Probably, the most changeable estimate is our anticipated require- <br />ment for gathering of evidence to support Indian water right claims, as <br />requested by the Department of Justice for and in behalf of various tribes, <br />where competitive uses of water have been filed by non-Indians. <br /> <br />By way of showing our updated requirements, we have abstracted sheets <br />from the subject report, with suggested comments or revisions. <br /> <br />-19- <br /> <br />~ <br />