Blackfeet approve water rights agreement

The Blackfeet Tribe on Thursday approved a water rights agreement with Montana and the federal government.

An unofficial count had 75 percent of the votes in favor, approving the Blackfeet Water Compact and Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement Act.

The compact officially quantifies the tribe’s water rights and confirms its jurisdiction over those rights on the reservation. It also provides the tribe with $471 million for water-related projects including new irrigation systems, improvements to existing systems, development of community water systems and land acquisition.

“This is a historic day for the Blackfeet people,” said Harry Barnes, chairman of the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council, in a press release. “All of the time and effort by Blackfeet staff and leaders over the past four decades was well worth it. The benefits of the water compact will be seen for generations to come.”

After decades of negotiations, the agreement was first ratified by the state in 2009 and secured passage in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives in 2016. Former President Barack Obama signed it into federal law in December.

The Blackfeet Tribe will now begin working to fully implement the settlement, including development of a community-based plan for infrastructure projects and future development in communities with input from its tribal members, according to the release.