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. . . Page 3 the proper forum in which to adjudicate the claims was in the State Court as required by the congressional enactment of the Mc Carren Amendment, ':fue Tribe then refiled its claim in the Division 7 Water Court in 1976, This set the stage for the adjudication of the claims or their resolution through negotiation. 'Jlle basic problem to Southwestern Colorado was not only the 1868 water rights priority date. but the community conflict which could develop when the lOOians were given. and put to use, their senior water, Indians and non-lOOians live side by side, and their children attend the same schools. Tribal activities are very much a part of the cultural heritage of all of Southwestern Colorado, 'lbe economy of most conmnmities is affected by the lOOians. A long protracted legal battle would severely strain the conmnmity relationships, 'lbe water rights issue was influenced by a long history of inequities that began with the signing of the l868 Treaty, the Homestead Act. water projects being built without supplies for the IOOians, lack of potable water for lOOian COIIUIl\lIIities. and a general feeling by the Tribes of a breach of trust by the federal government, 'lbe scope of the tribal claims revolved around the potential irrigation of 93,000 acres of tribal lands, Unfortunately, the tribal lands most suited for irrigation were on the strean's with the least anount of water, primarily the La Plata and Mancos Rivers, If the Indians were successful in obtaining their claims. irrigation on those streams by non-IOOians would be totally eliminated. other streams such as the Florida River would also be severely impacted, but not to the extent of the Mancos and La Plata Rivers, 'lbe resolution of the problem was similar to the solution that occurred in the 193Cl's on the Pine River, It was apparent that there was a need to construct storage projects and to transport water from one sub-basin to