US vs LEONARD PELTIER 21st. CENTURY "GOLD" WATER

http://www.dka.gp.usbr.gov/angscop3.htm
[webposted Aug 1997]
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- A Tribal representative stated that Sloan was interested in reservoirs on the main
stem of the Missouri River and that Pick was interested in smaller reservoirs on the
Missouri River tributaries. Their interests were combined to form the Pick-Sloan
Act. The mainstem reservoirs on the Missouri River flooded Reservation
communities but avoided non-Indian communities. The reservoirs that were
constructed to provide for irrigation were built outside the Reservations to benefit
non-Indians. The Tribes did not receive any benefits but were greatly impacted by
Angostura Dam and Reservoir and the irrigation project.

- It was noted by a Tribal representative that Reclamation irrigation projects are
located just above the Reservations and divert water before it reaches the
Reservations.

- A Tribal member feels that Reclamation has been very responsive to the needs of
irrigators but not to the needs of the Tribes. He is hopeful that this is changing.
Given that these reservoirs are upstream from the reservations, equitable
consideration must be included in the EIS.

- In the 40 years since Angostura Dam was built, the water service contract has
been a one-sided agreement in which the Tribes have not benefitted. That will
change, starting today.

- The Tribes were excluded from the original irrigation project at Angostura and it's
economic benefits.

3. Indian Trust Assets:

- Define Indian Trust Assets within the EIS.

- Why wasn't the tribe consulted for the language in the interim water service
contract before it was signed?

- Will Reclamation work more closely with the Tribes (individuals and Great Sioux
Nation) in the future relating to Tribal Trust Assets?

- It was stated that Indian Trust responsibilities and in-stream flows should be
added to the list of reservoir allocations.

- Reclamation needs to be mindful and fully award of it's Indian Trust
responsibilities.

- The Tribe wants to work closely with Reclamation on development of alternatives
in the EIS.

4. Treaties:

- According to a 1980 court decision, the Black Hills were taken illegally from the
Sioux Nation.

- The Sioux Nation treaties are contracts with the U.S. Government.

- The U.S. Government enjoys many resources, yet this one-sided agreement
negatively affected the Great Sioux Nation for the last 40 years.

- The treaties are enforceable today and certain protections were promised in these
treaties.

- The president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe requested a government-to-government
meeting with Reclamation to cite court cases that demonstrate treaty rights and
protections.

- OST would also like to hear Reclamation's understanding of treaty responsibilities.

- An individual would like the issue of survival of treaty rights based on Reserved
Rights Doctrine clarified.

- An OST Tribal Elder feels that the Pick-Sloan Act of 1944 should not have been
enacted because it violated the 1871 Treaty. He wanted to know who gave the
authority for the Pick-Sloan Act of 1944 and why were the Tribes not consulted?

- The 1851 treaty was for right-of-way across Indian Land, not for occupancy. The
treaty of 1868 decreased Indian Lands and allowed for settlement of some of these,
forgetting the restrictions of the 1851 treaty.

- A Tribal Elder feels that the number one priority for water use within the original
Treaty area is to satisfy Indian Trust rights. Treaties deal with immemorial Indian
rights.

- The treaties have been treated as though they were subordinate to all other laws.
This is wrong.

- The Lakota people were not paying attention when Angostura dam was built.
They would like to know who negotiated the 1944 agreement for Pick-Sloan and
who represented the Oglala people in these negotiations.

- If Indian people fish at Angostura Reservoir will they have to purchase licenses?

- It was stated that portions of the study area are within the original Great Sioux
Nation area and in unceded hunting grounds.

- The Oglala Sioux Tribe would like to participate to the maximum extent possible
on a government to government level.

- The Tribal Council would like to give Reclamation copies of treaties to read and
understand. The resources in the treaties were not given to the Indians, they were
reserved by the ancestors. They would like good relationships, things can be
worked out if the Treaties are followed.

- An OST tribal member would like to know how non-Indians would feel if Indian
people took and occupied their land and there was nothing they could do about it.
Indian people have dealt with this for a long time.

- A coalition of environmental groups and the Tribes are working on a lawsuit
against the Black Hills National Forest, regarding their new Forest Management
Plan.
 

Water Resources of Selected Indian Communities. Detailed information of the
water resources of four Indian communities is necessary for the efficient use,
management, and protection of these resources. These studies will evaluate the
availability and quality of surface and ground water for domestic and municipal use.
The American Indian communities are Nett Lake (Bois Forte Band of Chippewa),
Prairie Island Mdewakanton Dakota Community, Lower Sioux Reservation, and
Upper Sioux Community. Contact: James Ruhl, 612-783-3252, ruhl@usgs.gov
 

Susceptibility of Ground Water of Part of the Spirit (Devils) Lake Sioux
Indian Reservation. The purpose of this study is to assess the vulnerability of the
ground water in the Tokio and Warwick aquifers in the Fort Totten Division of the
Spirit Lake Reservation to surface contamination. The ground-water vulnerability
assessment will provide information useful for management to guide their decisions
about ground-water protection. The study area includes the Tokio and Warwick
aquifers that underlie parts of the Fort Totten area. Contact: Douglas Emerson,
701-250-7402, demerson@usgs.gov

Long-Term Monitoring on of Part of the Spirit (Devils) Lake Sioux Indian
Reservation. The purpose of this study is to determine changes in hydrologic and
water-quality conditions on the Fort Totten Division of the Spirit Lake Reservation.
The objectives are to: (1) develop a long term program to monitor the water levels
and water quality in selected wetlands and lakes on the Reservation and (2) develop
a long term program to monitor ground-water levels and water quality in the
Spiritwood, Tokio, and Warwick aquifers. Contact: Douglas Emerson, 701-250-
7402, demerson@usgs.gov

Surface and Ground Water Resources of Lake Traverse Indian Reservation.
The general objective of the study is to collect the necessary hydrologic data to
evaluate the surface- and ground-water resources of the Lake Traverse Reservation
of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux in South Dakota and North Dakota and of Roberts
County in South Dakota. The specific objectives are to determine: (1) the location,
depth, quality, and quantity of water in the study area and (2) the effects of
surface- and ground-water interactions, recharge and, discharge on the hydrologic
system. Contact: Ryan Thompson, 605-353-7176 x225, rcthomps@usgs.gov

Fish Habitat Research. The USGS BRD's Cooperative Research Unit in South
Dakota assisted the Cheyenne River Tribe in collecting data on fish and fish habitat
in reaction to the reauthorization of two Bureau of Reclamation dams. As the
process continues, the BRD will assist the Tribe in assessing impacts on fisheries.
The Oglala Sioux Tribe requested assistance from both the U. S. Fish and Wildlife
Service and USGS in preparing a report on the status of the health of the White
River Watershed. The Cooperative Unit has also begun to assist the Flandreau
Santee Sioux Tribe in monitoring the fishery and water quality of the Big Sioux
River as it crosses tribal lands. Contact: Leader, South Dakota Cooperative Fish
and Wildlife Research Unit, 605-688-6121

Ground-Water Activities with the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. The USGS drilled
and completed 3 deep test wells on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in FY 1997
in cooperation with the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. Water level, water quality, and
hydraulic characteristics were measured for each well. Contact: Mike Cannon,
406-441-1319, mcannon@usgs.gov
 

Assessment of Tight Gas Resources of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming.
USGS scientists are completing an assessment of tight gas resources of the Wind
River Reservation (Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Tribes) of Wyoming. The work
was done as part of a project to assess tight gas resources in Western Interior
basins, funded by the Department of Energy. Results indicate that the Reservation
contains 304 trillion cubic feet of gas in tight or near-tight reservoirs. This is about
one-third of the total gas in tight to near-tight reservoirs in the total Wind River
Basin. Data sets on geology were entered into a Geographic Information System
and maps have been produced. Contact: Ron Johnson, 303-236-5546,
rcjohnson@usgs.gov
[NOTE: Gas resources were determined NOT to be a part of the rights reserved on tribal lands..this survey is purely exploitive]

CPT Meeting Notes, June 1999