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If there’s an epicenter of the more than 20-year drought in the west and Southwest, it’s the Colorado River. It’s a significant water source for nearly 30 tribes that call the river basin home. Many of those tribes fought hard to secure water rights that were handed out to states and municipalities a century ago without regard for the tribes’ concerns. Now, the Colorado River is in a worsening crisis. Today on Native America Calling, we learn how tribes are part of the discussions to reach a drastic water use reduction plan and find out if the stakeholders can all reach consensus with Jason John (Navajo), director of the Navajo Department of Water Resources; Daryl Vigil (Jicarilla Apache), former water administrator for the Jicarilla Apache Nation and co-facilitator of the Water & Tribes in the Colorado River Basin; Dr. Karletta Chief (Diné), Professor & Extension Specialist in Environmental Science at the University of Arizona and director of the Indigenous Resilience Center; and Dr. Crystal Tulley-Cordova (Navajo), principal hydrologist for the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources.
Break 1 music: Water Is Life (single song) Native Roots, Joy Harjo, Def-I & Innastate (artist)
Break 2 music: Straight (song) Northern Cree Singers (artist) Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live at Samson: Nikamo – “Sing!” (album)
There is always some water. Native American claims come first because their claims are original claims. After satisfying those, the rest can be distributed according to date of original claim.