Northern Arizona Indigenous Tribes Push for Water Rights
Learn more about how indigenous nations in the Southwest are affected by increasing water scarcity, what they're doing about it, and what you can do to be part of these efforts.
Who is involved?
-Navajo Nation, Hopi Trive, San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe
Where?
📍 Arizona, Utah, New Mexico
What?
The Navajo Nation is pressing for approval of the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 (NAIWRSA). This legislation would secure long-overdue water allocations in the Colorado River system, while funding critical pipelines, wells, and drinking water projects. Further water infrastructure would increase economic opportunity and link these stakeholders into larger river basin conversations, hopefully granting them greater legal and planning certainty.
Why does this matter?
-Formal recognition of tribal rights brings long-overdue equity and empowers tribal sovereignty.
-Investments would improve clean water access for thousands of households that still haul water for domestic and agricultural purposes.
-This effort emphasizes the urgency of this issue by highlighting how marginalized communities are disproportionately impacted by drought.
What can I do?
The Southwest is living through a slow-moving but urgent river crisis. Indigenous nations across the United States are disproportionately impacted. Here's a few things you can do to be part of this effort:
-Learn: Educating ourselves about these issues is one of the best ways to learn how to affect change and support causes. Knowledge is power, after all.
-Educate: Spread what you know so that others can be participate. It's easy to think we can't have an impact.
-Support: indigenous-led businesses and organizations, regional advocacy groups, and promote their issues where you live. Contact your representatives and thank or encourage them to support NAIWRSA. You never know where or when a seed that you plant will grow into something unstoppable.
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