The Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute Indian tribes have been pushing for the federal government to uphold its water-related responsibilities for years. Now, Colorado legislators are jumping back into the fight. Lawmakers in the Colorado House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution advocating for tribal water access Friday, during Ute Day at the Capitol. The resolution — which lists a series of longheld tribal water priorities and urges federal agencies to respond — awaits consideration in the Senate. It calls on the feds to take action on everything from releasing frozen funding for tribal water projects to repair deteriorating federal water systems and improving access to reservoirs like Lake Nighthorse near Durango.

Other tribal water news:

• KAWC (Yuma, Ariz.): Cocopah Tribe launches habitat restoration project along Colorado River
• Tribal Business News: Q+A: Geneva E.B. Thompson on California’s 7.5M-acre tribal stewardship goal