Federal Water Rights Teams

Negotiation Teams

Negotiation teams function on the basis of consensus. Teams utilize the expertise and ideas of team members in order to develop a comprehensive negotiation position for the Department. Team members are expected and encouraged to share their expertise and perspective on technical, factual, and policy matters with the team as it works toward developing a negotiation position. Team members may also be asked, and will be expected to, identify resources to assist the team in its deliberations and analyses. Team members are to serve as the principle resource for development of data, services, or other expertise from their respective agencies.  More information about the negotiation teams. 

Implementation Teams

The role of the Implementation teams is to ensure that a settlement is carried out and implemented in a manner calculated to achieve settlement success while taking into consideration all Department interests implicated in the settlement. Teams utilize the expertise and ideas of team members in order to implement the settlement. Team members are expected and encouraged to share their expertise and perspective on technical, factual and policy matters with team as it works toward final implementation. Team members may also be asked, and will be expected to, identify resources to assist the team implementing the settlement. Team members are to serve as the principle resource for development of data, services or other expertise from their agencies.  More information about the implementation teams. 

Assessment Teams

Assessment Teams are appointed by Working Group on Indian Water Settlements to help it determine whether it is appropriate for the Department to appoint a Federal Negotiation Team upon the request of an Indian tribe. Often, a tribe may be anxious for the appointment of a Negotiation Team, the situation is not ripe and fielding a team in support of negotiations would be premature. Appointment of a Federal Assessment Team helps the United States better understand the nature and extent of a tribe’s water rights claims, the position and interests of the various parties, and can help make the transition to a Federal Negotiation Team more fluid. Team members are expected to utilize their expertise and ideas on technical, factual, and policy matters in assessing whether a Federal Negotiation Team should be appointed. Team members are to serve as the principle resource for development of data, services, or other expertise from their agencies. Find out more information about the assessment teams.

Additional resources:

• Criteria and Procedures for the Participation of the Federal Government in Negotiations for the Settlement of Indian Water Rights Claims
• List of SIWRO Teams
• Factors to Consider in Appointing New Teams