A dispute between the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and local residents has arisen over the tribe's wish to restore the natural water flow of Whitewater River in San Bernadino National Forest. The water now being diverted through two dams reaches over 160 homes in the area. Locals are worried about the effects on their water supply if the river is restored to its original course in the Coachella Valley. The two hydroelectric dams have been in place since 1906, changing ownership several times, and currently sought after by Stephen Stockton, general manager of the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency. The tribe has protested this, citing that the water should be allowed to flow on its natural course to the local aquifer. Tribal lawyer Dick Young says that the law favors the earliest users of the river, and since it was in tribal hands when the reservation was created, the tribe has prior rights to the water. The Agua Caliente believe the restoration will benefit the ecosystem in a number of ways.
