Diné water rights meetings start Jan. 29
TWIN LAKES, N.M.
The Navajo Nation Water Rights Commission and the Navajo Nation Department of Justice’s Water Rights Unit are hosting nine public education meetings on water rights.
The first meeting will take place at the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock on Jan. 29. Diné living in the Upper and Lower basins of the Colorado River should attend a meeting, according to the hosts.
Diné water rights experts and attorneys will provide background and update attendees on the proposed settlement for the Upper and Lower basins. The experts and attorneys will cover what the settlement includes and how it impacts 44 Diné communities along the basins.
Navajo Times | Krista Allen
The Colorado River flows through the Grand Canyon near the Arizona Strip on a Sunday morning.
Other topics include the Indian Water Rights Law and the Little Colorado River Adjudication. Meetings will take place in Fort Defiance, Ganado, Chinle, Piñon, Kayenta, Tuba City, Dilkon, Leupp, and Rough Rock.
Joelynn Ashley, the NNWRC chair and the Western Agency commissioner, said the water experts and attorneys would also discuss the Nation’s water usage and funding, among other topics.
“We’re really pushing to advocate on behalf of the Navajo Nation,” Ashley said. “We have a full Navajo team. We got a full technical team that’s all Navajo from water management branch. We got all our attorneys from the Water Rights Unit from DOJ and commissioners.
“We are trying to be very, very thorough,” Ashley said. “I’m very positive that we do have the support from our leadership from the 25th Navajo Nation Council with delegates sitting on the team.”
Ashley said the Nygren-Montoya Administration and the DOJ supported these efforts.
The Navajo Nation has been dealing with water rights settlement since 1978. Although the settlement – with the U.S., Arizona, Hopi Tribe, and other parties – is still in process and confidentiality is in place. Ashley said the experts and attorneys will provide a general overview and allow the public to comment.
Upcoming meetings:
Jan. 29
Window Rock, Navajo Nation Museum: 9 a.m. to noon
Ganado Chapter House, Ganado, Ariz.: 2-5 p.m.
Feb. 2
Chinle Chapter House, Chinle: 9 a.m. to noon
Piñon, Ariz.: 2-5 p.m.
Feb. 5
Kayenta: 9 a.m. to noon
Tuba City: 2-5 p.m.
Feb. 9
Dilkon, Ariz.: 9 a.m. to noon
Leupp Chapter House, Leupp, Ariz.: 2-5 p.m.
Feb. 12
Rough Rock Chapter House, Rough Rock, Ariz.: 9 a.m. to noon
Information: jacquelinemitchell@navajo-nsn.gov, 928-872-7510
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow