Correspondence on Bonneville Unit of Central Utah Project

Page 6

ine ^noe iurtnor uncerstanus tnat tne above features will be included in the Bonneville Unit Definite Plan Report and will be accomplished by agreement with the Tribe. The agreement will include provisions for the rignts -of-way which may be required for construction and maintenance under tfc$ terms of the enclosed agreement but without extinguishment of title to property or permanent loss to the Tribe of any of its rights. ane agreement provides that the Indian water supplies may be converted wo otner tnan agricultural uses, such as for municipal or industrial purposes. Such a conversion appears acceptable in the interest of economic growth in the Uintah Basin with the understanding that the total water to be used by the Indians will not exceed an equivalent of 4.0 acre-feet per acre allowance for the acreages from which the water is converted. The diversion allowance of 4.0 acre-feet per acre was adopted by the Duchesne River Area Study Committee after consultation with the State Engineer. The committee also concluded that poor quality irrigation x,Tater in the lower Duchesne River would necessitate moving tne points of diversion upstream to the vicinity of Bridgeiand or near the Duchesne Peeder Canal diversion. fflie Central Utan Water Conservancy District, by resolution"adopted May 14, I9o5, copy enclosed, has approved the proposed agreement. The agreement has been approved by the Tribal Business Committee of the bte Tribe and has been executed by its-chairman. Enclosed is a copy of that committee's May 6, 1965, resolution authorizing its chairman to execute the agreement. We believe the proposed agreement would resolve many troublesome problems associated with the Indian water rignts in connection with the development of the Central Utah Project. .-.ita District-Tribe agreement, the way would be cleared for an agree­ment between the District and Resources Company, or similar potential users, on water priorities. This could clear the way for a contract under winch the United States would, furnish an interim water supply AOT the construction and operation of proposed thermal-electric facilities m Southern Utah. We recommend that you approve the form of the proposed agreement by signing the original and duplicate original of this memorandum. Your approval would be with the understanding that the Commissioner of Reclamation and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs would be authorized to execute said agreement on behalf of the United States ai .er it has been executed on behalf of the Central Utah Water ^Conservancy District. The agreement has already been executed on wenalf of the Tribe. Your approval also would be with the understand­ing tna^following execution on behalf of the United States, the N- . . . - - v • - • \ . V. • • A *'* N • -X