The Navajo Nation celebrated its historic water rights settlement with the state of New Mexico on Tuesday.

The deal guarantees the tribe 600,000 acre-feet on the San Juan River. It authorizes an $870 million water pipeline that will serve communities on and off the reservation.

"It's time to celebrate," Navajo President Joe Shirley Jr. said, The Farmington Daily Times reported. "The settlement has been a long time coming, and it didn't start with my administration. There were other presidents, other leaders who worked on this to bring it to fruition."

Congress must still appropriate funds to carry out the settlement. "This is the culmination of a lot of work," noted Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico), "but it also is the beginning of a lot more work."

President Barack Obama signed the settlement into law in March as part of a larger bill.

Get the Story:
Navajo Nation celebrates water settlement (The Farmington Daily Times 5/27)

Relevant Documents:
President Obama Remarks | STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT | BACKGROUND ON THE OMNIBUS PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT ACT BILL SIGNING | Secretary Ken Salazar Remarks

Omnibus Lands Bill:
H.R.146 | S.22

Related Stories:
Editorial: Water project benefits Navajo people (4/9)
Obama signs omnibus public lands bill into law (3/31)
Obama to sign omnibus public lands bill into law (3/30)
Tribal provisions included in omnibus lands bill (3/26)
Navajo Nation water rights settlement in Congress (02/17)