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Show o - Indian"Water Rights. '•- I have been assured, however, that there is no. grave peril hanging over these Indians so far as their wate: rights are concerned. The following outline of the Indian's "water rights11 situation was made for me: Tlae act of June 21, 1305, appropriated •3500,900 reimbursable from proceeds of lands within the former Uintah and Curay Reservation far the construction of irrigation systems and provides that '''such irrigation systems shall be constructed and hall and operated and water therefor appropriated under the laws of the State of Utah and the title thereto until otherwise provided by law shall be in the Secretary of tlae Interior in trust for the Indians and he may sue and be sued in natters relating thereto.'" This presents the anomalous situation aha f/-a title to the water rests in the Secretary o the Interior yet aaaroar:a.tion. of the 'vater can only ae made in conformity to the laws of tke St; of Utah and tlae irrigation system's shall ae con- -j. . ^ _ l r, ^i H n ^ a j aviH n "P - -, T2.d I1" ~ 3 ~ Til1"-'1 ~ ~ '"' ~ ° "• - u '-> f.p -~70 ' Tyi rl p-r* •*• V* a c? T *^ T" A 7 *~i "T Q o o t -i pt-i .'^ o "^ H"!" •"• "n *!" o *** _< I i U . 3 i. 'J - OU.-> (j1- l->ii j kJv^^*Oj.-J»- 3 d i ^J ;. * ~J u ^- - 57, it states "Riahsn an approprlator or his successor in interest abandons or censes to use water for a. period of five years, the right ceases, and thereupon such water reverts to the public, and /any be again appropriated, as provided in this Act." In 1317 tho" larger part of" Indian allot....jntz had not Office evadertiv fearir~ that the ri-'-^a" a~ ~va.~er for such lands might be last under the state lav;, issued instructions to place rail these lands under cultivation as rapidly as possible. This was .accomplished by 1319. Since then, in tlae light of several court. decisions and interpretations rendered on other acts of Congress of similar wording with the act cited above, tlae Department has evidently revised or re-v- eraed ita interpretation of the act mentioned. Thus, -i y, -K-o 1o + {-p-n rif qo-r-.t =-."'•-.-= ~- ° . T O O " i- -7--, .. -.-. - >, A- - ^ |
