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<br />JUL-l(-97 13.2~-FROM.~~B.S.S. <br /> <br />ID.970 247 8827 <br /> <br />PAGE- 7/2~ <br /> <br />~ <br />;3 The Colorado Ute Settlement Reconciliation <br /> <br />I _' _ After ero:mive research. negotiation and c:ompromisc. a CDmprel=sivt: plan to resolve die long........diag c:onuov=s)' CM:l' die <br />! 0 watc! rights fur the Ua: Mountain U... and Southern U=s bas been propoScd by 3 n:nurk:able coalition oflndian TriMs, Ioca1 <br />c:oaunW1iti", and non-Indian bnncrs and ranches. This c:ompromisc addr= con= raised about the project's c:ost. =~ <br />ond environmental impaa. ~ mainWns a coopc::ativc rdaDcnsbip bctw=t me tribes and the neighboring communities in <br />Colorado ond New Mexico. <br /> <br />Background <br /> <br />'IN: 1~88 Colorado lJtc: Indian Water Rights Settlcmmt AD: ,.-.,grom.l the ~-= nglus daim ......I.I;.!.,-ecl by ae:uy <br />in 1868. and p.-.ised i:bc Ua: In<li= lribcs a t"" ._r zdiablc -= source to mea:< that pn:ocut and Nmrc IlIIllIs. 'IDea: <br />arc righdUI water rigbzs that hzvc b=n affi;mcd by the s..pn:mc Court and miW by Cmgrcss. The AniImo-La PLu:a pro;ca, <br />the fOWldmon fOt the Settl=-r. W<>Wd cIivctt a small ponion of the...uwal run<>H' &om the AniI:llz RiYCI' in.o 3D o:fHac= <br />n:scrvoir. ather than ,.1.__;", the rive- and &oding the river~. The new r;scm>ir.nll prtMde the Ua: lndiar1 Tribes with <br />c:ontral of d>::ir W2I.<f reso= for the first lime sino: the aclty whid> p"" the Utes the ww:r rigbxs was sigDcd in 1868. <br /> <br />Som<: hzo,: c:ritici=l the origiDol plan os tOO ~"" and pltlYiding tOO lla:le beudit to d.c {M..". ~ <br />raised con= about the sc:opc of the projca :u>d its po=Dal adYo::Isc clfeas OIl t:h.~ or mcI:mgced speQcs. By ..uviDg <br />inigarion f.a<illtics, me DeW plOposal..au.a:s casa .u' . ~Ily. The CoIox:uk> and. New Maico CDlJSOrtium of wa1cr QSCZS haw <br />propoSed a CDlUpromiso! tbat works. ..!d:= d.: co_ of its oppo= and _ .......J~ more 1hm bIlf a biDion cIoIlaJs. <br /> <br />Original Plan Recondliation Plan <br />--=-=. <br /> <br />Cost: <br /> <br />0= $144 million <br /> <br />Tribal <br /> <br />U.. uibcs wore to RlCI!ift 1/3 <br />of -= cIivcrtcd by AlE <br /> <br />k._J\~ <br /> <br />1~llitior".: <br /> <br />E::ctc:Dsive irT"^ft ~1m- to <br />~ 7\),100 aces of DeW <br />irrigated farmland. <br /> <br />Emiro:lnmemlII h.,.Ad- <br /> <br />DMna:l24% of the zv=ge <br />annual Jl_ of tbc Ani:Das <br />Ri-. <br /> <br />w_ JliShts <br />a.~r-A= <br /> <br />In fUll c:ompIian<c wid> tbc <br />CoIr=do Ua: r..m." Vlaa:r <br />Riglm S=lcmmtAD: of 1'88. <br /> <br />~ e.tS""J <br />St.. ~"'Ju.. AJ:t: <br /> <br />DcpL:sion &am d.cAni:Das <br />River I2isod __ abow: <br />=ic:alirIg hobR:u: Oomuaion <br />of:o:><= Colorado River 6sh. <br /> <br />$257 m1Ill= alld $33 mlI1ion in sew: andloc.l = <br />sl:wiDg. l'<d=l ourJa,s _less tb:m 113...... of me <br />origin;! pbo <br /> <br />the aibcs will RlCI!ift 213 of the -= divcncd by ALP. <br /> <br />By crdwling iztipinD &ciIitics, lhc DeW p<aposal nduas <br />cbc amoant of -= diocned. from d.c AaiJDOS Rncr by' <br />213. .A!Iaws SlIrift implcnc:ntzziOD of lIOD-pOinI - pro- <br />tc:rion p!:l.!l by the = of CoJondo and New Mm::o. <br /> <br />Mini=! div=jOl> of -= from the Animas River; DO <br />more th.n 14..5% of lhc IM:r's ~ amzuaI Sow. ~ <br />mi:z:ing ~ ~.;. .. ...~I imp>=. <br /> <br />Modified......,;.", is 1 .A.b. to the twO 1iibcs as z 6m1 <br />r",- . <br />..-rrl_ of dx:ir -=r rigIm claim. <br /> <br />The ,...,..,..""';I;.,~ft propcasal ~ tbc cmIy plan to <br />= ~....!.4 mb. FaciIicios -i .l.pI-h"llS of d.c <br />mocItticd proj= have b=n oppm-<ed for _........... by <br />the u.s. &b alld Wildlife Scrria: <br />