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FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2002

Supreme Court precedent dictates that tribes are the first in line when it comes allocation of scarce water resources.

But because tribes lack infrastructure to utilize the water, these rights often exist solely on paper. That is slowly changing as tribes negotiate agreements with states, local communities and the federal government.

A deal the Gila River Tribe of Arizona has made with surrounding communities is setting a nationwide standard for settlement. The tribe is set to receive $200 million in exchange for water that local communities need.

Get the Story:
In arid Arizona, a watershed deal on water (The Christian Science Monitor 8/16)