Serving Quality Water for Over 34 Years.
The San Luis Rey Indian Water Authority, a federally charted government agency, was created by the La Jolla, Pala, Pauma, Rincon and San Pasqual Bands of Mission Indians and ratified in the settlement act. Operating under public law 100-675, the agency's mission is to ensure that the Indian Bands have a say in the San Luis Rey River Basin's water use and supply.
Mission Statement
The San Luis Rey Indian Water Authority is a sovereign tribal entity, created by the La Jolla, Pala, Pauma, Rincon and San Pasqual Bands to preserve and enrich the quality of life of their people.
The Authority unifies us to protect, develop and manage the resources provided under the San Luis Rey Indian Water Settlement.
The advancement and accomplishments of present and future generations will be the measure of our success.
Board of Directors
SLRIWA board officers and members.
- Bo Mazzetti, President
- Geneva Lofton, Vice President
- Steven Cope, Secretary
- Temet Aguilar, Treasurer
- Robert H. Smith, Member At Large
- Pamela Arviso, Director
- Venessa Brown, Director
- Tuukut Sass - Director
- Reuben Rodriguez, Director
- Matthew Quis Quis, Director
SLRIWA History
Let Indian casinos get established before asking for more money
The Valley Roadrunner, January 21, 2004
Statement For San Luis Rey Indian Water Authority
San Luis Rey Water Rights Settlement — Written By: Robert S. Pelcyger, Special Counsel — May, 2004
SLIWA Litigation
The Dispute
Since before the turn of the 20th Century, the Cities of Escondido and Vista (or their predecessors) have taken an average annual diversion of approximately 16,000 acre-feet of water from the San Luis Rey River, to which the Indian Bands claim senior rights based on the reserved rights or " Winters " doctrine (Winters v. United States). Under Winters, Indian reservations have a right to all the water they need as of the date they were created, regardless of when, or if, the water is first put to use.The Litigation
In 1969, the Indian Bands sued the City of Escondido and the Vista Irrigation District. The suit charged that US law protecting Indian reservation water rights was violated and that the Secretary of the Interior exceeded his authority in reaching water agreements on behalf of the Indian Bands. A series of hearings in 1980 on the Indian Bands' and the United States' motions for partial summary judgment upheld that position.The Settlement
In 1988, the Indians negotiated a partial settlement compensation of $30 million through the San Luis Rey Indian Water Rights Settlement Act (Public Law 100-675). The funds are used by the Bands for economic development and to operate the San Luis Rey Indian Water Authority. And, in addition to arranging the delivery of water for the Indian Bands, the settlement preserved water for the non-Indian communities that have come to rely on it.Water Delivery
The San Luis Rey Settlement Act was passed in 1988, yet the Indian Bands have not received any of their water. Delivery of the water has been caught up in long delays of trying to resolve the much larger problem of Colorado River water uses, and with many other issues that have arisen.
"We're very understanding about the layers of government and legal issues that arise, and we'll wait as long as necessary to fight for what we believe in", said Tilda Green, Secretary-Treasurer of the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians.
The San Luis Rey Indian Water Authority directors and reservation leaders have been patient because they are confident the water that rightfully belongs to the Indian Bands will be returned to them, as provided in the settlement and federal law.
Then, once again, water will be plentiful in the San Luis Rey River Basin.
Secretary of the Interior's Remarks to the Colorado River Water Users Association Las Vegas, December 17, 1998
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