Washington State area officials have been trying to acquire water (water is a commodity you know) from the area Native American Tribes around Eastern Washington for use in other areas (mainly industrial, a little farming, and for a few fish) for quite sometime now, and it seems the plan is working. As of Feb. 6, 2008 the Spokane Indians and the Colville Tribe have agree to. let the state pump water at the total cost of about 8.1 million dollars the first year and more money per year after that, split between the two tribes and boating areas that will be effected by the 132,500 that is to be removed ‘in drought years’. Does this mean good things for the area and the local Indigenous people? Many think not. The acquifer that lies under Roosevelt is not replenishing fast enough to keep up with current demands on the lake, and more water would surely put it in peril. Furthermore, are there not alternative ‘healthier for the environment’ methods other than to simply keep using more? What’s to say that the water will be put to clean effective use, and that the tribes will always recieve their money, and the state not swindle them out of even more of their property??

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=13513