Agua Caliente Band Chairman Jeff Grubbe speaks at the National Congress of American Indians annual convention in San Diego, California, on October 22, 2015. Photo by Indianz.Com
The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians is in for the long haul in a dispute over its water rights in southern California. The tribe sued the Desert Water Agency and the Coachella Valley Water District nearly three years ago. Victory came last March when a federal judge confirmed that the tribe reserved rights to groundwater on the reservation. But the case is far from over. The two agencies are now asking the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to limit the tribe's rights to surface water and resolution could take years. “We’re patient," Chairman Jeff Grubbe told The Palm Springs Desert Sun. "This is a top priority for my membership and we’re going to see it through no matter how long it takes." The tribe plans to address water quality and other water management issues once it secures control of its rights. Get the Story:
Agua Caliente tribe to keep up water fight, leader says (The Palm Springs Desert Sun 1/27)
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