Thursday April 29, 2010
Udall
Continues Fight for Pine River Indian Irrigation Project Bill
Udall Introduces Southern Ute Chairman Matthew Box at Indian Affairs Committee Hearing; Makes Case for Bill to Rehabilitate Long-Overdue Irrigation System
Source: U.S. Senator Mark Udall
Senator Udall introduced Southern Ute Chairman Matthew Box, who testified at the hearing about the tribe's need for the irrigation project.
"For far too long, water users have gone without the water necessary to sustain their crops. And, for too long individuals who depend on the system for water have forgone opportunities to bring idle lands back into agricultural production and continue as good stewards of the land," Senator Udall said at the hearing. "The need to rehabilitate this irrigation system is long overdue and the need for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to act - equipped with the proper resources - is now."
The Pine River Indian Irrigation Project was first established at the turn of the 19th century and currently provides approximately 124,000 acre feet of water via 175 miles of canals and ditches to more than 10,000 acres of land in Southwest Colorado, only a portion of its potential. Today, the demand and need for a quality water delivery system has never been greater, yet the Pine River Irrigation Project hasn't been able to keep up. The Government Accountability Office has declared the project severely deteriorated because of neglect and lack of funding.
Senator Udall's bill would direct the Interior Secretary, acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation, to fully assess the needs of the Pine River Indian Irrigation Project. It would also grant the authority to the Secretary to provide grants to and enter into cooperative agreements with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe of Colorado to assess and repair infrastructure so that the project more suitably meets user needs.
Senator Udall will continue to work with the Southern Ute tribe and his colleagues in Congress to get the bill passed.
The following are Senator Udall's remarks, introducing Chairman Box at the hearing:
Chairman Dorgan, Vice-Chairman Barrasso and members of the committee, I thank you for holding this hearing today on the Pine River Indian Irrigation Project Act. As you will hear today, this irrigation system was built in the late 19th century with the intention of encouraging farming on the Southern Ute Reservation in Southwest Colorado. Today, the system is not fulfilling its original intent as a result of deferred maintenance that has put immense stress on old and severely deteriorated infrastructure. Mr. Chairman, for far too long, water users have gone without the water necessary to sustain their crops. And, for too long individuals who depend on the system for water have forgone opportunities to bring idle lands back into agricultural production and continue as good stewards of the land. The need to rehabilitate this irrigation system is long overdue and the need for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to act - equipped with the proper resources - is now.
With that, though I believe most of you have already met Chairman Matthew Box at previous committee hearings, I would like to re-introduce to you an important figure in Colorado Indian country. Chairman Box was first elected to the Southern Ute Tribal Council in February 2005 and has served in his current capacity as Chairman since November of 2008. Prior to his position on the Tribal Council, Mr. Box was the owner and operator of an Indian-owned construction company specializing in earth work. I am pleased that he is joining us here in Washington to share his testimony and welcome him.
Thank you again Mr. Chairman and I hope this hearing is productive.