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Views on Tipping Points, Resilience, and Long-Term Water Availability Tribes and Pueblos Bernadette Benally Fontenelle October 17, 2018 Outline Describe tribes and pueblos in New Mexico My views on tipping point situation Navajo

SLIDE 1

Views on Tipping Points, Resilience, and Long-Term Water Availability Tribes and Pueblos

Bernadette Benally Fontenelle October 17, 2018

SLIDE 2

Outline

Describe tribes and pueblos in New Mexico
My views on tipping point situation
Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project
Navajos resilience to water scarcity
Next steps

SLIDE 3

Source: Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico, 2011

 19 Pueblos  Navajo Nation  Ute Mtn  Apaches

Jicarilla
Mescalero

SLIDE 4

New Mexico Tribes and Pueblos water rights settlement status

1. Acoma

9. Jicarilla Apache
17. Cochiti

2. Jemez

10. Pojoaque
18. Isleta

3. Laguna

11. Mescalero Apache
19. Picuris

4. Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan)

12. Nambe
20. Santa Clara

5. Ute Mountain

13. Navajo Nation
21. Santa Domingo

6. Santa Ana

14. San Ildefonso
22. San Felipe

7. Zia

15. Taos
23. Sandia

8. Zuni

16. Tesuque

Orange-negotiated/litigated Green- resolved/settled White- nothing done Top 3 known Indian water right settlements: Aamodt, Taos, and San Juan River (SJR)

SLIDE 5

My views on tipping point situation

For example, the Eastern portion of Navajo reservation:

Lack adequate potable water supply
Rely on drinking water that has to be trucked to their homes
Clean water source many miles away from home
Rural community no water infrastructure in place
Growing population demand for more housing, schools, stores
High unemployment rate
Poverty
No water available, no economic development

SLIDE 6

Tipping point situation (continued)

For livestock, nearby water

sources (groundwater) contaminated or dried out

Four Corners is the bullseye for

extreme drought conditions, livestock are dying or sold

Meantime Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project is being built to

resolve the tipping point situation

All this water coming from San Juan River, a matter of time

Source: Navajo Times reported on May 3, 2018 near Four Corners Area 200 horses dead

SLIDE 7

Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project

Indian Water Rights

Navajo Nation bound to SJR
Jicarilla Apache

Features

2 treatment plants
Massive water supply line
280 miles of pipeline

Current infrastructure

Navajo Tribal Utility

Authority (yellow lines)

SLIDE 8

Reaching tipping point for Navajos

Settlement authorizes first-

time construction of a massive water supply line

Area is undeveloped makes it

more challenging to get water to the homes of people from the supply line

Photo Credit: Old water tank west of Shiprock Bridge, the Navajo writing says “Water is Life”

SLIDE 9

Navajos resilience to water scarcity

Uphold the strength of their culture
Lead by great leaders to acquire water

rights

After years of court proceedings,

negotiated and resolve claims to San Juan River water rights

Part of negotiation to construct a

massive water supply line

– Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project

Little things add up:

– Continue to haul water

– Address and respond to drought conditions at Chapter house

meetings

Photo credit: Navajo farmer pumping water from San Juan River

SLIDE 10

Next steps

Now until the year 2024, await completion of Navajo Gallup

Water Supply Project

“The Connection Plan”- get Navajo homes connected to the

main water supply line, using and expanding Navajo Tribal Utility existing infrastructure which requires more funding

Goal - get water to the rural communities and begin

economic development on Navajo reservation

SLIDE 11

Thank you

Photo credit: Navajo girls going for water Found image online Google search for Navajo and water, 10/15/18