Compact will turn landowners into ‘sharecroppers’
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
Editor,
I have always been amazed by the reaction to fear from otherwise good folks. We talk platitudes about living together, working together, “love it or leave it” and community spirit. All talk and wonderful ideas until reality arrives, and then it’s “every man for himself,” as evidenced by the reactions to this wonderful “water users agreement” foisted upon us.
How can anyone in this valley believe that giving away their private property (water rights) for words of promise is an honorable idea? Remember, everyone is acknowledging that the Hellgate Treaty has been broken more times than not; what gives you the idea that this WUA won’t be broken? It’s written on the same paper; nothing’s changed. Or, are we writing it in the iCloud now and that’s somehow different?
Fear is a powerful emotion. Fear-mongering the litigation option is an act of desperation. No one in this valley has witnessed or participated in an adjudicated or litigated water rights dispute of this magnitude before; there are those who are clinging to whatever untruth floats by in hopes of raw, primitive survival. Threats of a $60 million “citizen” cost to litigate this compact are a fairy tale for children. A bird in the hand is not always worth holding; you cannot eat an angry hummingbird and hope to ward off starvation.
Throwing your neighbors under the proverbial bus has already begun to surface. Those giving in to the pressure somehow believe they will go the head of the “water buffet line” when it’s over.
This is not a closed Indian reservation, and therefore, is not a closed water system/basin – the tribes do not own all the water. They own what will be adjudicated to them under the 1908 Winters Doctrine and additional in-stream flows by their right to fish on the rez – but, they do not own it all. The surplus belongs to the State of Montana to be portioned out to us, the tribal and non-tribal fee-simple property owners within the boundaries of the reservation.
Giving away your water rights is returning to sharecropper status — a great accomplishment after 100 years of hard work.
Michael Gale
Ronan
