Tule River Tribe Reserved Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024

HR 8920, the Tule River Tribe Reserved Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024, confirms the Tule River Tribe's water rights to divert and use up to 5,828 acre-feet per year of surface water from the South Fork Tule River. The bill establishes a $518 million trust fund for the Tribe to develop water infrastructure projects and a $50 million fund for operations and maintenance of those projects. It transfers approximately 9,600 acres of land (including Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, and tribal fee lands) into trust for the Tribe. The legislation includes legal waivers of past water rights claims between the Tribe, the United States, and other water users, requiring judicial approval of the settlement before implementation.