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Navajo Nation Basin Transfer Issues Stanley M. Pollack Navajo Nation Department of Justice. Dinetah Lands Within Four Sacred Mountains. 1868 Reservation Established. Creation of the States. Basin Boundaries Created (1922). Lee Ferry.
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Navajo NationBasin TransferIssuesStanley M. PollackNavajo NationDepartment of Justice
Basin Boundaries Created (1922) Lee Ferry
Navajo Reservation is almost entirely within Colorado River Basin. Upper & Lower Basins Three States: Arizona New Mexico Utah Basin Map courtesy of Bureau of Reclamation
1922 Compact • “Colorado River Basin” means all of the drainage area of the Colorado River System and all other territory within the United States of America to which the waters of the Colorado River System shall be beneficially applied. • “Upper Basin” means those parts of the States of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming within and from which waters naturally drain into the Colorado River System above Lee Ferry, and also all parts of said States located without the drainage area of the Colorado River System which are now or shall hereafter be beneficially served by waters diverted from the System above Lee Ferry. • “Lower Basin” means those parts of the States of Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah within and from which waters naturally drain into the Colorado River System below Lee Ferry, and also all parts of said States located without the drainage area of the Colorado River System which are now or shall hereafter be beneficially served by waters diverted from the System below Lee Ferry.
Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project NEW MEXICO Upper Basin Lower Basin Rio Grande Basin ARIZONA Lower Basin
P.L. 111-11, Section 10603 • Authorizes delivery of water from Upper Basin to Lower Basin in New Mexico and charged against New Mexico’s consumptive use. • Authorizes delivery of water from Upper Basin in New Mexico to Lower Basin in Arizona.
6,411 afy for Window Rock • WE HAVE THE WATER • – 6,411 afy was reserved in AWSA (2004) • WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE • NGWSP authorized in P.L. 111-11 (2009) • WE HAVE THE NEED • - Supplies are limited; people are hauling water
Western Navajo Pipeline Upper Basin diversion to deliver water to Navajo communities in the Upper and Lower Basins (and to Hopi villages)
Utah Navajo Water Rights Settlement • Right to deplete 81,500 AFY of surface & ground water • Rights may be used only in Utah • Sweetwater Pipeline is preferred alternative to deliver water to Navajo communities in the eastern portion of the reservation in Utah.