During the feverish development of water projects
throughout the West, most Native American tribes were left out. But
under federal law, Indian reservations have senior rights to vast
amounts of water – more than Western states could spare even if
they wanted to. Thus it is no surprise that today almost every
state and reservation in the West is at odds over water. In Indian
Water Rights: Negotiating the Future, authors Elizabeth Checchio
and Bonnie Colby present a comprehensive guide to settling tribal
water issues, either in court or through negotiation. Meant for
tribal councils, state water officials, local governments, water
conservancy and irrigation districts, and federal agencies, the
handbook identifies the players who must be involved in a water
settlement, and clarifies the legal background. Dozens of case
studies are included, as are interviews with tribal members and
government officials who have struggled through earlier
settlements. The handbook ends with discussions on environmental
protection, funding new water projects, financial compensation,
water marketing, leasing and other
innovations.
Tribal Water Publication, Department
of agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Arizona,
Tucson, AZ 85721. 93 pages, illustrated. Oversize paper:
$8.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Indians and water.
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