Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation Compact

Alternative Title

Chippewa-Cree Water Rights Settlement Agreement

Authors

MT
Chippewa-Cree Tribe

Tribes

Chippewa-Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation

Settlement

Chippewa-Cree Tribe-MT Compact

Reservation

Rocky Boys Indian Reservation

State

MT

Watershed

Missouri River Basin

Document Type

Settlement Agreement and State Legislation

Publisher

Montana

Publication Date

4-14-1997

Abstract

Settlement - State Legislation: There is no stand alone settlement agreement: Water Rights Compact - MT, Chippewa-Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy's Reservation & US of 1997 (MCA 85-20-601) This Compact arose out of a MT state court water rights adjudication. It serves both as settlement agreement and state legislation. The Compact sets forth the Tribe’s rights and involve Stoneman Reservoir, East Fork Reservoir, Gravel Coulee, Lower Big Sandy Creek, Ancestral Missouri River Channel Aquifer, Box Elder Creek, Beaver Creek, Camp Creek, Duck Creek, Gorman Creek, Lake Elwell, Bonneau Reservoir, Brown’s Reservoir, and new impoundments. It identifies rights in groundwater and direct flow water as well as storage rights and rights to waters originating on the Reservation. The Compact identifies purposes of use including irrigation, stock watering, evaporation, fish and wildlife enhancement, domestic, municipal, and other non-irrigation uses. The Compact addresses some limitations on any change of use or place of use. It addresses water rights on newly acquired lands and state law water rights. It provides for use of some water off Reservation. The Compact provides for tribal administration of its water on and off the Reservation, including leasing; the creation of a Tribal Water Resources Department and the creation of a Tribal water code. The water will be administered by the DOI Secretary until a code is adopted. The Compact provides for application of MT law and Tribal permits in the case of off-reservations use, change in use or transfer of a Tribal water right and provides for reporting. It places limits on new Tribal groundwater development and addresses reservoir operations. A Chippewa-Cree-MT Compact Board created to address enforcement issues. The Compact addresses waivers, inter-se issues, a Tribal economic development fund, development of a water system, and cost-sharing. The Compact is intended to fully satisfy the Tribe’s claims to water. [Source: http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/mca/85/20/85-20-601.htm]

Comments

State legislation and settlement agreement: 38-pages.

Permanent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/1928/21761

Recommended Citation

Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation and MT Water Rights Compact, MCA 85-20-601