Ak-Chin Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 1978

Ak-Chin Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 1978 United States 95th Congress Federal Legislation: Ak-Chin Indian Community Water Rights Act of 1978. (PL 95-328, 92 Stat. 409) This Act provides emergency irrigation water in face of a declining water table brought on by US failure to prevent mining of groundwater and to avoid litigation. The Ak-Chin has an agricultural based economy. The US will construct a well field and water delivery system from nearby Federal lands for 85,000 a/f/a to meet Ak-Chin’s emergency irrigation needs. US will provide a permanent supply of water in a fixed amount by a date certain (Ak-Chin 1984 Amendment PL 98-530 sets Jan. 1, 1988 ) in exchange for a waiver of all current and future claims against the US, persons, corporations, municipalities under state or federal law, excepting Ak-Chin's claims against the US for breach. Damages for a breach shall be in the cost of replacement water for that not delivered by the US. Appropriations are authorized: $500,000 for fiscal year ending Sep. 30, 1979, and $42,500,000 before fiscal year ending Sep. 30, 1983. First Indian Water Rights Settlement. [Source: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collection.action?collectionCode=GPO&browsePath=United+States+Statutes+at+Large+%28Digitized%29%2F1978&isCollapsed=false&leafLevelBrowse=false&isDocumentResults=true&ycord=570; Public Laws 95-224 through 95-472, PDF 198854 KB; USA Statutes at Large (Digitized). USA Statutes at Large, Volume 92, 95th Congress, 2nd Session. from January 1, 1978] Original Federal Legislation: 3 pages.