Mealey's (June 17, 2015, 12:50 PM EDT) -- HELENA, Mont. — Two Native American tribes, Montana and the United States on Jan. 8 released a proposed water rights compact that replaces one that became invalid.

(Proposed compact available. Document #95-150212-026X.)

The compact is among the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the state and federal governments. According to a summary, the compact will quantify the waters rights of the tribe on and off the Flathead Indian Reservation.

The new compact came after the Montana Legislature in 2003 failed to ratify a compact and a...