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<br />1 ' <br />" <br />" <br /> <br />· Providing a dependable long-term water supply for neighboring Indian and non- <br />Indian community water needs, including the Animas-La Plata Water Conservancy <br />District, the La Plata Water Conservancy District, the San Juan Water <br />Commission, and the Navajo Nation at Shiprock, New Mexico. <br /> <br />Needs for the Project are also described in the DPR and 1980 FES and are summarized <br />below: <br /> <br />· An unreliable and inadequate water supply for irrigation results from the limited <br />storage and river flow regulation available on either the Animas or La Plata Rivers. <br /> <br />· The available water supply for municipal and industrial (M&I) use is inadequate. <br /> <br />· Economic betterment is needed for Project area residents, particularly the Native <br />American (Indian) and Hispanic populations, <br /> <br />'I <br /> <br />· Expanded and new recreation facilities are required to meet present and future <br />demand. <br /> <br />· Local fishing opportunities are limited and should be enhanced. <br /> <br />The Project's purpose of providing a viable means to meet those identified needs remains <br />unchanged. In addition to providing agricultural, municipal, and industrial water, the Project <br />as proposed would now also satisty the Project's portion of the Colorado Ute Indian water <br />rights claims as specified by the Settlement Act which is to: <br /> <br />· Provide for settlement of the claims of the Southern Ute Indian and Ute Mountain <br />Ute Tribes (Tribes) to beneficially use water for agricultural, municipal, and <br />industrial uses on, under, adjacent to, or otherwise appurtenant to the Tribal <br />reservations <br /> <br />· Settle existing disputes and remove potential causes of future water-related <br />controversy between the Tribes and the State of Colorado, the United States, and <br />other persons concerning Tribal rights to beneficially use water in southwestern <br />Colorado <br /> <br />· Settle all claims by the Tribes, and by the United States on behalf of the Tribes, in <br />water adjudication hearings <br /> <br />· Secure for the Tribes an opportunity to maximize an economic benefit from the <br />Project <br /> <br />· Enhance the Tribes' ability to meet their repayment obligations <br /> <br />· Authorize the Tribes to sell, exchange, lease, or otherwise temporarily dispose of <br />their water in accordance with existing laws <br /> <br />13 <br />