Irrigators with rights that are junior to those of the pueblos could be cut off in dry years. Those older rights are superior to any other rights, said Les Ramirez, lawyer for Santa Ana Pueblo. Another issue is that water rights along the Rio Grande have not been legally sorted out in a court adjudication. That means no one knows exactly how much water each user is entitled to. Unlike other water rights, the Indian claims are for future use as well as historical use.
Uses can include grazing, irrigation, domestic needs and religious ceremonies.
Some experts say the pueblos are entitled to enough water to farm all their irrigable land. State Engineer Tom Turney said it also could be controversial. Indian water rights could be a big issue if the tribes want to put more of their water to use. But if they merely want to clarify their rights, and would be willing to lease water they don't use, the impact would be much smaller, said water resources consultant John Shoemaker. I think a lot of the Indian water rights issues ultimately will be resolved that way.