WINDOW ROCK, AZ – On Thursday, 25th Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley, along with several Council Delegates and Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, welcomed senior officials from the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to advance the tribes’ historic water rights settlement in Arizona.
Hopi Tribal Chairman Timothy Nuvangyaoma and San Juan Southern Paiute President Carlene Yellowhair were also in attendance to welcome DOI Senior Advisor and Acting Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Scott Cameron, DOI Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Janel Broderick, BOR Acting Commissioner David Palumbo, and DOI Acting Director of the Secretary’s Indian Water Rights Office Sarah LeFlore.
The tribal leaders advocated for federal support of the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Agreement, which aims to resolve decades of litigation and secure long-term water resources for the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, and the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe.
“For generations, our Navajo people in many communities have waited for access to clean, reliable water,” said Speaker Curley. “Meeting with the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation is an important step in ensuring that the resources, technical expertise, and federal commitments are in place to make this settlement a reality.”
The discussion also focused on the need for consensus among several Colorado River Upper and Lower Basin states to advance several provisions under the proposed agreement.
Among many provisions, the Navajo Nation would receive 44,700 acre-feet per year (AFY) of Arizona’s Upper Basin Colorado River allocation, along with 3,600 AFY of fourth priority Lower Basin Colorado River water, all Little Colorado River water that reaches the Nation, and recognized rights to the Navajo and Coconino aquifers.
Navajo Nation Council members emphasized the urgency of moving forward with implementation, highlighting the critical role of the Interior Department and the Bureau of Reclamation to gain support for the settlement from the Trump administration and Congress. Navajo Nation Council Delegates Brenda Jesus, Otto Tso, Casey Allen Johnson, Vince James, Carl Slater, Germaine Simonson, Helena Nez Begay, and Cherilyn Yazzie were also in attendance to advocate for support.
“We want you to take our messages back to Washington D.C. Many of our elders have never experienced turning on a water faucet in their home. Let’s continue to fight for our Indigenous families,” said Delegate James.
The Navajo Nation continues to advocate for congressional passage of the settlement legislation while coordinating with federal agencies to ensure that once enacted, the tribes can begin implementing water delivery projects without delay.
