# Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024
This bill finalizes a comprehensive water rights settlement for three Native American tribes in northeastern Arizona: the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, and the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe. The settlement addresses decades of competing water claims in the Colorado River Basin.
## Key Water Allocations
The bill grants specific Colorado River water entitlements to each tribe. The Navajo Nation receives 44,700 acre-feet per year (AFY) of Upper Basin water plus 3,500 AFY of Lower Basin water. The Hopi Tribe receives 2,300 AFY of Upper Basin water. Both tribes also gain rights to additional water through existing contracts and agricultural conservation. The San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe receives groundwater and surface water rights, though in smaller quantities.
## Major Infrastructure Project
The bill authorizes construction of a large pipeline called "iiná bá – paa tuwaqat'si pipeline" to deliver potable water from Lake Powell to Navajo and Hopi communities. The federal government will plan, design, and build this infrastructure, transferring ownership to the tribes upon completion.
## Funding and Trust Accounts
Congress commits $5 billion in funding: $1.715 billion for the pipeline project and $3.285 billion distributed to three tribal trust funds. The Navajo Nation receives approximately $2.75 billion, the Hopi Tribe receives about $508.5 million, and the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe receives approximately $29.8 million. These funds support water projects, agricultural improvements, operations and maintenance, and renewable energy facilities. The settlement also establishes a permanent San Juan Southern Paiute Reservation of approximately 5,400 acres.
## Claims Settlement
All three tribes and the federal government waive past and future water rights claims against each other, Arizona, and other parties dating back indefinitely. The settlement resolves longstanding litigation while preserving the tribes' rights to enforce the agreement itself and pursue claims against parties outside the settlement.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.