PIPE SPRING Cultures at a Crossroads: An Administrative History

Monument Administration (continued)

The Water Agreement and Park Service Construction of the Water System

On April 13, 1972, the Park Service and Kaibab Paiute Tribe signed a water agreement (see Appendix VII, "Agreement with Kaibab Paiute Tribe"). The agreement was sent to the Tribe's attorney and to the Park Service's field solicitor for review and approval prior to its signing. The 25-year agreement provided that the Park Service would construct, operate, and maintain the new well and water system. In return, the Tribe agreed to allow the Park Service to use their one-third rights to Pipe Spring. In lieu of Pipe Spring water, the Park Service would provide a specified amount of 7,884,000 gallons of water per year from the new well at no charge. The Tribe agreed to pay the cost of production for all water they used during any one year in excess of the specified amount. While the Park Service retained ownership of the water system, in the event the agreement was terminated the Tribe had the right to purchase the equipment at the then-appraised value. Both parties agreed to use waters of the well and Pipe Spring economically with the objective of conserving it. Well water could not be used for commercial agriculture. It was the Park Service's responsibility to meter all water and annually bill the Tribe for water in excess of the specified amount. The Park Service agreed to pay an annual rental charge for use of well water at a rate of $33 per acre foot. Should the output of Pipe Spring exceed the monument's needs, the Park Service agreed to make excess water available to the Tribe. The Tribe at its own cost could install a pipeline connecting the water well lines with the Kaibab Village system for emergency purposes only. The Tribe retained one gallon per minute flow from Pipe Spring for livestock watering purposes. Finally, the Park Service had the option to renew the contract for another 25 years upon its expiration. [2147]

The new water system was engineered and financed by the Park Service. Ray Wyrick of the Western Service Center made preliminary surveys, Noby Ikeda of the Denver Service Center (DSC) made the construction layout, and the DSC's Office of Environmental Planning and Design prepared plans and specifications. [2148] The contract for construction of the water system was awarded to Stratton Brothers Construction Company of Hurricane, Utah, for $155,891.50. [2149] Notice to proceed was issued on February 13, 1973. Construction work, consisting of reservoir excavation, access road grading, and placing of six-inch water line started on February 13, 1973. Work was performed during an unusually wet winter. All construction was completed on June 12, 1973. With the exception of 737 feet of six-inch underground pipeline and two fire hydrants located on monument land, the water system was located on the Kaibab Indian Reservation. The well was located in a small side canyon, a distance of just over two miles from the monument and one-half mile from Kaibab. A small pump house was located directly over the well; the balance of the system was underground, including a 500,000-gallon cement reservoir. A Wallace and Tiernan A-475 chlorinator was also part of the system. It was reported at the time that the pump was capable of producing 150 gallons of water per minute.