HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A legislative working group says the scientific modeling used in the state's water-rights compact with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes is "reasonable."

The CSKT Compact Technical Working Group approved a 100-page report to that effect Tuesday after months of reviewing scientific and technical information on which the compact is based.

The Legislature's Water Policy Interim Committee asked for expert review after the compact presented to the 2013 Legislature was rejected. The committee could use the report to present a compact during the 2015 Legislative session. The 2015 session is the final chance for lawmakers to approve the compact.

Who controls water flowing on or through the reservation and how much goes to farmers, ranchers and others through the Flathead Indian Irrigation Project has been at the core of the dispute.

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