NAVAJO NATION WATER RIGHTS

Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation Water Rights Unit

Naabeehó Bináhásdzo, or Navajo Nation was established by the Treaty of 1868 after the majority of the Navajo people were forced from their land in the mid 19th century. The Supreme Court case Winters v. United States established water rights for tribes to be self-sufficient, but the United States has blatantly disrespected its commitment, and there is limited infrastructure to bring water to everyone throughout Navajo Nation. The United States government failed to begin to negotiate water claims with Navajo Nation until the 1990s, and negotiations between states, the federal government and Navajo Nation did not begin until 2003. While the average per capita water usage in the United States is 88 gallons per day, Navajo Nation citizens may only have access to two to three gallons per day for eating, cooking and cleaning. One third of the households in Navajo Nation do not have running water. Navajo Water Rights Unit represents Navajo Nation’s interests in federal and state courts, and are currently litigating five stream adjudications. Currently, there is ongoing adjudication for rights to the San Juan River Basin, the Zuni River Basin, Little Colorado River, and the Gila River. In addition to water rights, contamination from uranium mining throughout the southwest must be remediated, and pipelines need to be built across Navajo Nation to provide equitable access to clean, safe water. The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly shown the effects of centuries long persecution and structural racism against Navajo Nation, where residents cannot follow basic health guidelines without access to water for hand washing and other basic preventive measures.

17544500 acres
7300 feet above sea level

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