Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians v. Coachella Valley Water District
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
849 F.3d 1262 (2017)
- Written by Eric Miller, JD
Facts
In 1876 and 1877, the United States government (plaintiff) created a reservation for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians (the tribe) (plaintiff) in the Coachella Valley region of Southern California. The reservation was intended to provide the tribe with a permanent and sustainable home. However, water was scarce in the region. The tribe did not pump the groundwater underlying its reservation. Instead, the tribe purchased groundwater from the Coachella Valley Water District and the Desert Water Agency (the agencies) (defendants). The tribe also received a smaller amount of water from the Whitewater River System. Due to concerns over diminishing water resources, the tribe and the United States brought an action in federal district court, requesting a declaration of rights to the groundwater under the reservation. The court granted partial summary judgment in favor of the tribe. The agencies appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Tallman, J.)
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