2017 Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims

The Western States Water Council and the Native American Rights Fund held their fifteenth biennial Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims on August 8-10, at the Best Western Plus Heritage Inn in Great Falls, Montana. A number of topics were addressed by experts and participants regarding completed and ongoing negotiated settlements.

Agenda
Packet Materials

Presentations:

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

WESTERN WATER LAW AND INDIAN RESERVED WATER RIGHTS: A PRIMER
Robert Anderson, Professor, University of Washington School of Law

NEGOTIATION OF INDIAN WATER RIGHTS CLAIMS: THE BASICS
Gathering Background Information and the Role of Technicians in Negotiations
Rod Lewis, Consultant, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP
David Barfield, Chief Engineer, Kansas Department of Agriculture
Christopher Banet, Trust Resources & Protection Manager, Bureau of Indian Affairs

Identifying Parties and Issues and How Negotiations Bind Larger Groups
Maria O’Brian, Attorney, Modrall Sperling
Temet Aguilar, Chairman, Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians
Duane Mecham, Advisor, Office of the Solicitor, Department of the Interior

THE ROLE OF GROUNDWATER IN SETTLEMENTS
OVERVIEW – John Thorson, Federal Water Master, Lummi Decree
Faye Bergan, former Legal Counsel, Montana Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission
Stanley Pollack, Assistant Attorney General, Navajo Nation Department of Justice
Ruth Thayer, Native American Affairs Adviser, Bureau of Reclamation

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

THE ADMINISTRATION’S SETTLEMENT POLICY
Alan Mikkelsen, Acting Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation
Pamela Williams, Director, Secretary’s Indian Water Rights Office

DESCRIPTION OF THE BLACKFEET NATION’S WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT
Ryan Smith, Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Samuel Gollis, Trial Attorney, Indian Resources Section, U.S. Department of Justice

Thursday, August 10, 2017

SETTLEMENT LEGISLATION: GETTING BILLS THROUGH CONGRESS
Congressional Outlook for Indian Water Rights Settlements
Matthew Muirragui, Professional Staff, House Natural Resources Committee