U.S. Government Reaches Water Agreement With Colorado Tribes

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) reached a settlement Thursday with the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain tribes for access to the Nighthorse reservoir in southwest Colorado. The two tribes now control the majority of the 123,541 acre-feet of water in the reservoir.

Thursday’s settlement is one of six similar deals recently struck by the federal government. These accords have led to $2.04 billion in related dam, pipeline and reservoir projects, supported through federal funding.

Tribal access to water supplies has been a point of contention since 1908, when the U.S. Supreme Court officially declared reservations were entitled to enough water to live on the land. Since, of the 565 tribes recognized nationwide, 29 have had their water claims settled. The Obama Administration is currently negotiating another 16 settlements.