Read water use agreement, see what it says
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Editor,
Like most irrigators and residents, I look forward to the latest Valley Journal to see what’s happening with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Water Compact. We all look with interest to the latest opinions. Mudslinging is going to occur when different personalities and opinions clash; good or bad.
There have been a lot of threats of litigation made from the beginning: “It’s going to cost you if you don’t agree with the pro-compact people,” “Increased irrigation costs,” “pump bills,” “You have to hire a lawyer,” etc.
A lot of us have been saying, since the beginning, “Let’s look at this agreement and see just what it says; 1,200 pages written by a slick lawyer (oops, that’s mudslinging) on your tax dollar. Have you asked yourself what does the law say? What was written in the law that gave you the patent or deed to your land? When congress and the president opened the Flathead to homesteading, what did that mean? Is this an open reservation or closed? The Power Project and the Irrigation Project was founded together, to benefit the residents of the Mission, Jocko, and Hot Springs valleys — Flathead Irrigation and Power: it’s on the Mission shop.
The Flathead Joint Board of Control did lose some lawsuits during the 1980s and 1990s, did you ever ask yourself what the lawsuits were about? Don’t you think you should ask former FJBC members what and why we lost? You might be surprised. Know what was lost before you cower to these threats.
At every meeting that the Western Montana Water Users and the Concerned Citizens have had, they give you research and facts; laws written in the 1800’s and 1900’s. Those laws and facts have cost those people hours, even days of research, thousands of miles driven and time at their own expense to inform you, not threaten you. We asked and the legislators gave two years for more study and time to inform the public in Western Montana, not just the area served by Flathead Irrigation Project of the effect of the CS&KT Water Compact, even the Water Use Agreement pushed hard at this time. What is the rush? If this is so good, it will pass on its own merits. The FJBC has tried to address three main points of the agreement the farmers and ranchers are concerned with. All of a sudden the Governor vetoed the legislators will for two years delay, and a group is pushing to pass an incomplete water use agreement.
Then on the advice of we-know-who, two districts try o vote themselves out of the FJBC and try to pass the Water Use Agreement ... why? If this district divides it will fall. Those two southern districts cannot fund the operation and maintenance by themselves. Mission district has 25,000 acres and Jocko has 10,000 acres. Who pays and gets what?
Have these people pushing the water use agreement mentioned the “consensual agreement” offered to some select water users? Get them to explain this before you sign. We all pay the same fee for water and supposedly, receive this same, on that point, don’t forget the quota was a .90 this year. With a sprinkler on 40 acres, that is three irrigations. How many have you used? Without non-quota water and the duty system, this is not enough. It took that much on gravel and sandy soils to get the second cutting up and growing.
There is talk of no stock water. I thought this Water Use Agreement and the promise from those in charge of the project said there would be no change in delivery. Look at their statement in meetings and on the legislative floor this past year.
Folks, we have gotten by for more than 100 years without this “Water Use Agreement.” It has been decided that we need one from the state legislators. That’s OK, let’s make it right. What are one or two more years to know, not just hope, what it says. We paid for our land, we pay for our water, and we have been historically delivered so much water.
This is the United States of America. We all have a USA zip code. Those freedoms have been bought at a great price ... with courage and strength, or even life.
Don’t sign or give up anything because of fear. Roosevelt said, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.”
Take courage, take time, demand the facts and laws before you sign away your God given rights.
Our family has been farming and irrigating in St. Ignatius since 1873.
Tim Orr
St. Ignatius
