CAWCD approves Yavapai-Apache Nation water settlement

• Yavapai-Apache Nation water rights settlement approved by CAWCD.
• 4,610 acre-feet of water secured annually for the Nation.
• Pipeline to deliver water, reducing reliance on groundwater.
• Land exchange with Forest Service strengthens Nation’s land base.
• Collaboration hailed as key to achieving this milestone.

September 12, 2024 — The Central Arizona Water Conservation District (CAWCD) officially approved the Yavapai-Apache Nation Water Rights Settlement Agreement at its September 5 board meeting.

The agreement, reached after extensive negotiations with various stakeholders, guarantees the Yavapai-Apache Nation 4,610 acre-feet of water per year.

A crucial element of the settlement is the construction of a pipeline that will transport water from the C.C. Cragin Reservoir to the Nation’s Reservation. This infrastructure will reduce the need for groundwater pumping, helping to safeguard the flow of the Verde River, a precious resource for both the Nation and the wider ecosystem.

In addition to water rights, the agreement includes a land exchange with the Forest Service, providing the Nation with lands adjacent to the Middle Verde Reservation. This land acquisition further strengthens the Nation’s resilience and capacity for environmental stewardship.

Yavapai-Apache Nation Chairwoman Tanya Lewis praised the agreement as a historic milestone, emphasizing its role in protecting the Nation’s water future, the Verde River, and local groundwater supplies. She highlighted the “remarkable power of the dedicated collaboration of many parties” in achieving this outcome. The CAWCD’s approval of the settlement is a testament to the importance of cooperation and negotiation in addressing complex water resource challenges.

Bill Tracking.

“S.4705 – 118th Congress (2023-2024): A bill to approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Yavapai-Apache Nation in the State of Arizona, to authorize construction of a water project relating to those water rights claims, and for other purposes.” Congress.gov, Library of Congress, 11 July 2024, https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4705.

“H.R.8949 – 118th Congress (2023-2024): To approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Yavapai-Apache Nation in the State of Arizona, to authorize construction of a water project relating to those water rights claims, and for other purposes.” Congress.gov, Library of Congress, 8 July 2024, https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8949.

Image:  Yavapai-Apache Nation Reservation Locator Map (2019).

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