Ohkay Owingeh Rio Chama Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025

Key Points

• This bill settles decades-old water rights disputes between the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, the State of New Mexico, and the federal government over the Rio Chama Stream System. The Pueblo's water rights will be held in trust by the United States and protected from loss through non-use.
• The federal government would provide $745 million in mandatory funding for a new trust fund. The money can be used for water infrastructure, irrigation improvements, bosque restoration, watershed protection, and economic development on Pueblo land.
• Up to $100 million can be spent immediately—before the full settlement takes effect—on urgent needs like restoring the riverside forest (bosque), fixing irrigation ditches, setting up a water management office, and acquiring water rights.
• New Mexico must contribute about $131 million: $98.5 million for ditch improvements benefiting both the Pueblo and neighboring farmers, $32 million for water system upgrades in the City of Española, and $500,000 to protect non-Pueblo groundwater users.
• In exchange for these benefits, the Pueblo and the United States (as trustee) agree to waive and release all past water rights claims and related lawsuits in the Rio Chama system. If the settlement isn't finalized by July 1, 2038, the entire deal expires and funds revert to the government.

Votes

No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.