Three key water settlements were presented to the U.S. Congress on behalf of the Navajo Nation, focusing on improving access to safe drinking water. These include the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, and the Navajo Nation Rio San Jose Stream System Water Rights Settlement Agreement in New Mexico. These efforts aim to help the Navajo Nation manage its water resources effectively, as per a release from the Navajo Nation Office of the President.
The settlements follow a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision that opposed the Navajo Nation’s treaty rights. Despite this, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren views the decision as motivation to fight harder for the nation's water rights. "It’s in our hands to quantify our own water," President Nygren said in the release. "Only we know what we need, only we know the struggles of living without water, so why don’t we create the plan to save our water."
The Navajo Nation Department of Justice, 25th Navajo Nation Council, Navajo Nation Water Resources, and Navajo Nation Water Rights Commission support President Nygren’s efforts. To build public awareness, Principal Hydrologists Crystal Tulley-Cordova and Robert Kirk, along with attorney Dwight Witherspoon, started an information series called "Preserving Dinétah" in November 2023. This initiative aims to educate the community and encourage support for the water rights cause, as per the same release.
The Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project was authorized in 2009 under Public Law 111-11 but faced funding challenges. A deadline extension to December 31, 2029, was endorsed by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in September 2023. The community is encouraged to advocate for S. 1898 and H.R. 3977 to secure future funding for the project.
The Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement gives the Navajo Nation a significant annual water allocation from the Colorado River Basins and a role in managing the Little Colorado River Basin and groundwater resources. The Navajo Nation Rio San Jose Stream System Water Rights Settlement Agreement in New Mexico includes a $200 million trust fund, recognizing the Navajo Nation’s water rights in the Rio San Jose Stream System and the Rio Puerco Basin.
According to the 2020 census by the Navajo Epidemiology Center, half of the 423,412 Navajo people live on the reservation. With these settlements, the goal is to reverse migration trends and strengthen sovereignty and self-determination. "Living without water definitely builds grit, you learn to respect it a lot more," said Navajo student Ashley Chee, in a Navajo Nation Office of the President release. "Having water brings relief. It allows you to wash yourself and it allows you to drink and remain hydrated and to remain healthy, it’s vital in our everyday tasks."
