The Yavapai-Apache Nation Tribal Council yesterday unanimously approved the Yavapai-Apache Nation Water Rights Settlement Agreement. This landmark agreement, negotiated over decades with Verde Valley communities and various stakeholders, promises to introduce new water resources to the Verde Valley and resolve the country’s long-standing water rights claims.
Chair Tanya Lewis expressed the significance of this achievement by stating, “This is a significant milestone in ensuring the Yavapai-Apache Nation’s water future and protecting the Verde River. To reach this settlement, the Nation worked with our neighboring communities, the State of Arizona, the Salt River Project, and other stakeholders to reach an agreement on a settlement that not only protects the Nation’s water future, but also ensures that the benefits of the settlement will help support a sustainable water future for the entire Verde Valley.”
She added, “These negotiations were difficult and required compromises on all sides, but we are so pleased to have achieved this long-awaited strategic goal for the nation. At this time in our history, we remember and honor the former chairmen, chairwomen, and Tribal Council members who have tirelessly advocated and worked for this day, and for that we are extremely grateful.”
The approval of the settlement is an important step in enabling Congress to introduce and enact legislation that will permanently resolve the nation’s water rights claims in the Verde River Basin. This legislation will also facilitate the development of critical infrastructure, bringing a renewable water source to the Verde Valley.
A key component of the settlement involves the construction of a pipeline over existing Forest Service roads from the CC Cragin Reservoir on the Mogollon Rim to the Verde Valley. This pipeline will transport water to the Nation for treatment at a state-of-the-art surface water treatment plant, and then distribute it to the Nation’s reservation communities. This new water source will allow the nation to reduce future groundwater pumping, which is essential to maintaining the flow of the Verde River.
The agreement not only secures water for the Yavapai-Apache Nation, but also ensures the continuation of important cultural resources for the nation’s people, maintains the essential character of the Verde Valley as defined by the river, and promotes tourism and economic development throughout the region.
With this historic agreement, the Yavapai-Apache Nation has set a precedent for collaborative water management, demonstrating the power of negotiation and compromise to achieve sustainable solutions for future generations.
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