据美国水事在线报道，爱达荷州Nez Perce部落、爱达荷州和联邦机构已经同意，增加蛇河（Snake River）流量，救助濒临灭绝的大马哈鱼，改善Salmon河和Clearwater河中鱼类地栖息地环境，并同意正式认可一些部落对蛇河流域水的一些要求。
  美国内务部部长Gale Norton、爱达荷州州长Dirk Kempthorne和Nez Perce部落主席Anthony Johnson宣布，已就美国西部最大的一个水权案的解决方案达成了一致。
  Kempthorne说，这个协议在依据联邦濒危物种法建立了用水和木材管理框架的同时，保护了州和私人现有的水权。
这是我们州在114年控制水的运动中一个最为重要的里程碑。我们在这里达成的协议对爱达荷州决定自己水和未来的命运来说，是主权、必然和机会。
  最近20年来，该州已提出了18万份水权要求。1993年，Nez Perce部落要求获得河流包括支流大部分的水。此次提出的解决方案，计划明年春天生效，实施期限为30年。这个方案还需得到美国国会、爱达荷州立法机关、部落和蛇河流域判决法院的批准。
  尽管该协议不能解决蛇河所有有争议的水问题。它解决了部落提出的一大批关心的问题。
  Johnson说，在过去1万年中，水是Nez Perce 人生存和文化的根本。它对保持今天我们经济和文化的健康来说是必要的。清洁丰富的水对Nez Perce 人行使受协议保护的权利来说，也是必要的。
  协议解决了该部落关注的在蛇河流域判决中水和自然资源问题，包括对该部落应得多少水权做出了明确规定。
  在该部分中，部落从Cleanwater河获得了5万英亩英尺（1234×50000立方米）的水，用于多种目的，还获得了历史保留地界内联邦土地上的泉水。作为交换，部落放弃非联邦河私人土地上的类似水权。
  土地管理局将把该地区价值700万美元的土地转交给部落，该部落将接管对Kooskia 国家级鱼类孵卵所的管理，并参与管理Dwoeshak国家级鱼类孵卵所。
  联邦政府还将提供5000万美元，用于部落获得土地和水权，采取其他方式，改善鱼类栖息环境，利用鱼类资源。另外提供2300万美元用于保护区下水道系统和水系。

 

原文如下：
Feds, state and tribe reach proposed agreement in huge water rights
The Nez Perce Tribe, state and federal agencies have agreed to augment Snake River flows to aid endangered salmon, improve fish habitat in the Salmon and Clearwater rivers, and officially recognize some of the tribe's claims to water in the Snake River Basin.
Interior Secretary Gale Norton, Gov. Dirk Kempthorne and Nez Perce Tribe Chairman Anthony Johnson announced that a proposed settlement had been reached in one of the largest water rights cases in the West.
Kempthorne said the agreement preserved existing state and private water rights while it established a framework for water use and timber management compliance under the federal Endangered Species Act.
"This is one of the single most important milestones in our state's 114-year crusade to control its water,'' Kempthorne said. ``What we've achieved here is sovereignty, certainty and opportunity for Idaho to chart its own destiny with regard to water and the future of this state.''
The state has been sorting out 180,000 claims to river water rights for nearly two decades. In 1993, the Nez Perce laid claim to most of the water in the river, including its tributaries. The proposed settlement &endash; set to take effect next spring and last for 30 years &endash; still must be approved by the U.S. Congress, Idaho Legislature, the tribe and the Snake River Basin Adjudication court.
Though the agreement does not resolve all the contested water issues in the Snake River, it addresses the bulk of the concerns raised by the tribe.
"Water has been fundamental to the livelihood and culture of the Nez Perce people for over 10,000 years. It is essential to our economic and cultural health today,'' Johnson said. ``Clean water in sufficient quantity is necessary for the Nez Perce people to exercise our treaty-preserved rights.''
The first component of the agreement resolves the tribe's water and natural resource concerns in the Snake River Basin Adjudication, including a clear determination of what water rights are due the tribe.
Under that section, the tribe wins its claim to 50,000 acre-feet of water from the Clearwater for multiple uses, as well as its claim to springs or fountains on federal lands within historic reservation boundaries. In exchange, the tribe waives its claim to similar water rights on nonfederal and private lands.
The Bureau of Land Management will transfer land in the region worth $7 million to the tribe, and the tribe will take over management at the Kooskia National Fish Hatchery and co-manage the Dworshak National Fish Hatchery.
The federal government will also provide $50 million for the tribe to acquire land and water rights, improve fish habitat and use in other ways, as well as an additional $23 million for sewer and water systems on the reservation.