Native American Programs

Program Support - Missouri Basin and Arkansas-Rio Grande-Texas Gulf (Interior Regions 5 and 6)

Formerly the Great Plains Region

The Missouri Basin and Arkansas-Rio Grande-Texas Gulf Regions encompass all or part of the states of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. There are approximately 69 federally recognized Indian tribes in this region. Severe water quality and quantity problems exist on many reservations in the region. To address these problems requires aggressive outreach by Reclamation staff in the six Area Offices within the region. Working directly with Indian tribes and Tribal coalitions has proven to be an effective way to provide technical assistance to rural Indian communities in the region. The region's Native American Affairs Office is working toward a stronger level of participation in coordinating and funding projects designed to remediate water problems and benefit Indian communities with other Federal agencies.

The principal objective of this region's Native American Affairs Office is to help Indian tribes build their capability to become self-sufficient. Overall goals and responsibilities in this region include:

Making Reclamation's programs available to Indian tribes.
Improving on-the-ground water infrastructure to promote Tribal economic development, and municipal and industrial water development.
Developing and using innovative methods or systems to serve the water needs of small communities and villages.
Assisting Indian tribes in the protection, management, and development of their water and related resources by providing Technical Assistance (TA) through funding opportunities. Making Reclamation resources available to Indian country to assist Tribal governments to protect, manage, and develop water and related resources. Links:
- https://www.usbr.gov/native/programs/TAPprogram.html
- https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=322213
Providing policy and technical support for Indian Water Rights Settlements.
Carrying out Reclamation policies and procedures upholding the Secretary of the Interior's Indian trust responsibility.
Coordinating and implementing a technical assistance program to Indian tribes in accordance with applicable sections of Reclamation's Implementation Plan
Supporting the Indian Self-Determination and Tribal Self-Governance programs (Public Law 93-638 Program).
Training Reclamation employees and members of federally recognized Indian tribes in water resources related areas.

These activities are consistent with policy described in the Presidential Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies titled, "Government-to-Government Relations With Native American Tribal Governments," dated April 29, 1994.

Note: See the policy on the "Consultation With Indian Tribes and the Government-to-Government Relationship—Policy, Protocol, and Guidance" at the Native American Affairs Program Webpage.

Additional Information about Reclamation's Native American Affairs Program is available by accessing this link: https://www.usbr.gov/native/.

Highlights –

Tribal Water Project
- Mni Wiconi Rural Water System (One of the Nation’s largest rural water systems.) – Operating and providing safe reliable drinking water to tribal (Oglala Sioux, Rosebud Sioux and Lower Brule Sioux) and non-tribal communities in central South Dakota
- Garrison Diversion - Rural Water System – Operating and being constructed to provide safe reliable drinking water to tribal (Spirit Lake Tribe, Standing Rock Sioux, Three Affiliated Tribes, and Turtle Mountain Chippewa) and non-tribal communities in North Dakota
- Rocky Boy’s North Central Montana Rural Water System – Under construction to provide safe reliable drinking water to tribal (Chippewa Cree) and non-tribal communities in North Central Montana
- Fort Peck Dry Prairie Rural Water System - Operating and being constructed to provide safe reliable drinking water to tribal (Assiniboine and Sioux) and non-tribal communities in North Eastern Montana
Indian Water Rights:
- Implementation – Implementing Reclamation responsibilities authorized in Indian Water Rights Settlement Acts by working cooperatively with Tribes on the planning, design, and construction of various water resources and related projects authorized in the following Acts:
- Negotiation – Assisting the Secretary’s Indian Water Rights Office in negotiating possible future Indian Water Rights Settlements with the following Tribes

Note: For additional information on Indian Water Rights, Departmental Policy, Federal Teams, etc. access the link: https://www.doi.gov/siwro.

Technical Assistance Projects:
- Annually funding several Tribal TA Projects ranging in value from a few thousand up to $200,000 per project, awarded via Funding Opportunities as Grants or Self-Determination Contracts or Self-Governance Agreements

Indian Self-Determination and Tribal Self-Governance (638) Contracting:
- Approximately 20 Contracts/Agreements with 11 Tribes for the Planning, Design, Construction, and Operation, Maintenance, & Replacement (OM&R) of Tribal Rural Water Projects, Indian Water Rights Settlements, and NAA TA Projects.

Contact Information

Name, Title	Office	Phone Number	E-mail
Douglas L. Davis, Regional Native American Affairs Program Manager	Regional Office PO Box 36900 Billings MT 59101-6900	406-247-7710	douglasdavis@usbr.gov
Evan Coldiron, Planning Program Coordinator	Dakotas Area Office PO Box 1017 Bismarck ND 58501	Work: 701-221-1243	ecoldiron@usbr.gov
Matthew Pollock, Native American Affairs Coordinator	Montana Area Office PO Box 30137 Billings MT 59107-0137	406-247-7344	mpollock@usbr.gov
Catherine Griffin, Supervisory Programs Manager	Nebraska-Kansas Area Office PO Box 1607 Grand Island NE 68802	308-345-8324	cgriffin@usbr.gov
Jeremy (Trent) Parish, Environmental Protection Specialist	Oklahoma-Texas Area Office 5316 Highway 290 West, Suite #510 Austin TX 78735	512-899-4157 (o) 737-615-9523 (c)	jparish@usbr.gov
Christina Davis-Kernan, Deputy Area Manager	Wyoming Area Office PO Box 1630 Mills WY 82644	307-261-5648 (o) 307-251-2422 (c)	CDavisKernan@usbr.gov
George Rutherford, Supervisory Self-Determination Specialist (Awarding Official)	Regional Office PO Box 36900 Billings MT 59101-6900	406-247-7737	grutherford@usbr.gov
Shane Schieck, Supervisory Civil Engineer (Indian Water Settlement Acts)	Regional Office PO Box 36900 Billings MT 59101-6900	406-247-7832	sschieck@usbr.gov
Tribes in Region

Pictures –

Tribal Rural Water Projects:

Mni Wiconi (South Dakota) – Oglala Sioux Rural Water Supply System

Photo of blue water tower with sky in background

Garrison Diversion (North Dakota) – Standing Rock Sioux Rural Water Supply System

Rocky Boys North Central (Montana) – Chippewa Cree Rural Water System

Photo of construction equipment and dirt mounds

Fort Peck Dry Prairie (Montana) – Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Rural Water System

Photo of a large audience of people outdoors with a brick building and flags on flag poles

Indian Water Rights (Settlements):

Crow Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 (Crow Tribe)

Act Execution Signing April 2012

Photo of three men signing documents at a table

Enforceability Date June 2016

Photo of a man sitting on a horse with people and cars in the background

Blackfeet Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2016 (Blackfeet Nation)

Act Passage April 2016

Photo of four people near a podium

Tribal Ratification Signing April 2017

Posed photo with six people in the second row, and two people in the front row sitting at a table holding a a piece of paper with flags in the background

Technical Assistance Projects:

Kickapoo Tribal Water Resources Project

Photo of a semi truck and a building in the background

Sac & Fox Tribal Water Resources Project

Photo of people constructing a small tower in a field with water in a ditch

Last Updated: 9/30/24