Fort Belknap holding water rights meetings

Meetings are set in Hays and Havre to talk about water rights and water compacts.

The Fort Belknap Indian Community Council and the Fort Belknap Water Resources Department will hold two meetings next week to inform their members about their water rights as the tribes and federal government continue to discuss the Indian Community’s water compact.

“The whole purpose behind it is, one, just to give tribal members the opportunity to ask questions, and, two, to kind of bring them up to date or educate them a little bit on the complexities of water rights settlements,” Council President Mark Azure said.

Azure said the discussions regarding a compact between the Fort Belknap tribes and the federal government remain in their early stages.

The discussions are between the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine tribes and the U.S Department of the Interior. A compact will determine how much water the tribes will get and how they can develop that water supply for the economic benefit of the tribes, Azure said.

The first meeting is set for Wednesday, March 8, at the Hays-Lodgepole Community Center Gymnasium from 6 to 8:30 p.m and Thursday, March 9, at the Great Northern Inn in Havre, also from 6 to 8:30 p.m..

Council members will be present along with the tribe’s water engineer and legal counsel to talk with members about a possible compact, a flyer advertising the meetings says. The flyer says the tribe has two options going forward to develop its water: Enter into a water compact approved by Congress that will include money for water development, or a Montana water court judge will decide how much water the tribes get and no money for development.

When an agreement is arrived at, enrolled tribal members will hold a referendum to vote on whether to accept or reject the proposed compact, Azure said.

Admission to the forums is free and open to the public.