Washington,
Aug 15, 2008 -
Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (CA-45), joined by Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, today attended a signing ceremony celebrating the passage of her legislation to resolve decades of water disputes in Western Riverside County. The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians Settlement Act (Public Law 110-297) is an historic agreement that settles over 75 years of water rights litigation and also strengthens regional efforts to achieve sustainable water management and habitat restoration in the over-drafted San Jacinto River Basin.
"Today marks a momentous day for the Tribe and our entire community," said Bono Mack. "Water is essential for life and is a vital resource for building and sustaining a community, especially throughout the Southwest. After many years of hardship, legal battles and negotiation, this settlement agreement will end ongoing litigation and improve water reliability, benefiting the entire region.
"We would not be at this point without the hard work and time invested by the Tribe, our local water districts, local leaders, and the federal government. I am proud to have played a role in bringing all sides together and was honored to carry this consensus-based legislation forward in Congress. It is through the collaborative effort of all parties involved that we were able to attain such a positive resolution to this situation."
Kempthorne commended Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack and Tribal Council Chairman Robert Salgado for their support and commitment to the process. Bono Mack championed the negotiated approach and was the chief sponsor of the legislation (H.R. 4841) in the House of Representatives. The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians Settlement Act (Public Law 110-297) was signed by the President on July 31, 2008.
“This agreement not only corrects an historic wrong that drastically depleted the tribe’s surface and ground water supplies, but also provides a future roadmap for sustainable water management in the over-drafted San Jacinto River Basin," Kempthorne said.
“[Congresswoman Bono Mack] helped to build the consensus that made this settlement possible by playing a critical role in helping to achieve a positive resolution to this issue. Tribal Council Chairman Robert Salgado had the vision, leadership and patience to see this long journey through to its successful end."
Tribal Chairman Robert Salgado Sr., said, “Its been a very long negotiation, and we thank our former tribal chairmen and council members who fought so hard for this, leaving us to merely dot the i’s and cross the t’s. We will cherish this water as a very precious commodity, and look forward to using it in a very positive and sacred way that benefits not only the tribe but the entire San Jacinto Valley. The success of this settlement demonstrates what can be accomplished when multiple agencies work together for the common good of all. We hope and pray this to be an example to everyone.”
Under the settlement, the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) of Southern California will deliver
7,500 acre-feet of water a year for the next 30 years to the Eastern Water District and Lake Hemet. This will enable the water agencies to recharge the San Jacinto groundwater basin to help fulfill the Soboba Band’s water rights and terminate chronic groundwater overdrafts. The plan will eventually put pumping from the basin on a safe-yield basis, where no more water is taken out of the aquifer than is restored through natural and artificial recharge.
"Metropolitan Water District is pleased that this long-standing issue is coming to a conclusion that benefits all the parties," said MWD Board Chairman Timothy F. Brick. "We appreciate the cooperation extended by all the participating interests, as well as the leadership demonstrated by Congresswoman Bono Mack, in making this historic agreement a reality."
Randy Record, Director for the Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD), said, "This settlement will end decades of disagreement over local water use. I'm pleased to see that we can finally put the conflict behind us. All the residents of the San Jacinto Valley deserve a reliable water supply; this is a major step in that direction."
Robin Lowe, Councilmember for the City of Hemet, said, "This water agreement represents the promise and assurance of cooperation between governments of this Valley. It recognizes the perseverance of the Tribe and the spirit of respect and management of our natural resource."
The settlement provisions for recharge and restoration of the San Jacinto Basin aquifer also restore local groundwater for the non-Indian community and enable the development of several communities and thousands of acres of residential and commercial land.
Under the Act, the Soboba Indian Tribe will receive the following:
- An adequate and secure future water supply (9,000 acre-feet per year);
- $18 million from the water districts for economic development;
- $11 million from the federal government for water development; and
- 128 acres of land near Diamond Valley Lake for commercial development.
Soboba’s neighbors, including the water districts, will receive the following:
- Final resolution of Soboba’s water rights and damage claims by terminating a lawsuit;
- 7,500 acre-feet of new imported water until at least 2035;
- $10 million in federal funds to help recharge the aquifer with the imported water;
- Up to 100 acres of Soboba reservation land for endangered species habitat; and
- Up to 4,900 acre-feet of Soboba water for 50 years for basin restoration.
The settlement brings to a close more than 150 years of conflict and struggle between the Soboba Band, which occupies a 6,000-acre reservation, and its neighbors over the San Jacinto River Basin’s limited water resources.
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