The Federal Government ( like the USFS and BLM ) have been trying to steal senior water rights that have been owned by cities, towns, ranchers ...for decades.
The Feds then can try to kill that area. Tombstone, AZ. is one such example, of many.
Exactly.
Back in the early 1960’s, my Dad and others had run-in’s with various County, State and Federal agencies over water rights for farmers and ranchers in Northern New Mexico.