Navajo Water Rights Settlement: Securing Water and Funding Infrastructure in New Mexico
This Act approves a settlement resolving water rights claims for the Navajo Nation in the Rio San José Stream System in New Mexico. It secures water rights for the Nation that are not subject to loss through non-use and appropriates over $223 million to a trust fund for settlement implementation and infrastructure maintenance. In exchange, the Navajo Nation waives specific claims regarding water rights and damages within this stream system.
Key points
Secured Water Rights: The Navajo Nation's water rights are held in trust by the U.S. and cannot be lost due to non-use, forfeiture, or abandonment.
Funding: The Act appropriates $200,271,000 for the Settlement Account and $23,000,000 for the Operations and Maintenance Account (totaling over $223 million).
Supply Expansion: Authorizes the Nation to expand the service area of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project to communities in the Rio San José Basin.
Allottee Rights: Water rights for Allotments are excluded from the Navajo Nation's Water Rights and are to be adjudicated separately.
Status:
Expired
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