{"id":38209,"date":"2022-10-01T04:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-01T10:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/state-of-unease-colorado-basin-tribes-without-water-rights\/"},"modified":"2022-10-01T10:30:00","modified_gmt":"2022-10-01T10:30:00","slug":"state-of-unease-colorado-basin-tribes-without-water-rights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/state-of-unease-colorado-basin-tribes-without-water-rights\/","title":{"rendered":"State of unease: Colorado basin tribes without water rights"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Garnett
Garnett Querta wipes sweat from his head while hauling water on the Hualapai reservation Aug. 15, near Peach Springs, Ariz. The water pulled from the ground here will be piped dozens of miles across the rugged landscape to serve about 700,000 tourists a year who visit the Grand Canyon on the Hualapai reservation in northwestern Arizona \u2013 an operation that\u2019s the tribe\u2019s main source of revenue. (John Locher\/Associated Press)<\/span>John Locher<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Garnett Querta slips on his work gloves as he shifts the big rig he\u2019s driving into park. Within seconds, he unrolls a fire hose and opens a hydrant, sending water flowing into one of the plastic tanks on the truck\u2019s flat bed.<\/p>\n

His timer is set for 5 minutes, 20 seconds \u2013 when the tank will be full and he\u2019ll turn to the second one.<\/p>\n

The water pulled from the ground here will be piped dozens of miles across rugged landscape to serve about 700,000 tourists a year who visit the Grand Canyon on the Hualapai reservation in northwestern Arizona \u2013 an operation that\u2019s the main source of revenue for the tribe.<\/p>\n

Despite the Colorado River bordering more than 100 miles of Hualapai land in the canyon, the tribe cannot turn to it as a water source. About a dozen tribes across the Colorado River basin similarly have yet to fully secure access to the river. Now that the river is shrinking because of overuse, drought and human-caused climate change, tribes want the federal government to ensure their interests are protected.<\/p>\n

The Hualapai Tribe has a water settlement in Congress that comes with $180 million for infrastructure. Still, it could be years before a pipeline is built and water flows from the river to the main town of Peach Springs or the tribe\u2019s tourist center at Grand Canyon West.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the best of a bad deal,\u201d said Phil Wisely, the tribe\u2019s public services director. \u201cAnd the thing is, I don\u2019t think we could get a better deal, especially now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Colorado River no longer can support the 40 million people in the U.S. West who have relied on it, plus a $15 billion agriculture industry. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation recently mandated deeper cuts to the water supply and asked seven states to find ways to conserve more.<\/p>\n

\"Garnett
Garnett Querta checks a tank on his water truck on the Hualapai reservation Aug. 15 in Peach Springs, Ariz. (John Locher\/Associated Press)<\/span>John Locher<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tribes did not get a share of the river when the states agreed to divide it and signed the Colorado River Compact in 1922.<\/p>\n

Unlike other water users, tribes don\u2019t lose access to water when they don\u2019t use it. A 1908 U.S. Supreme Court decision known as the Winters Doctrine says tribes have the right to enough water to establish a permanent homeland. Often, tribes give up potentially huge water claims in exchange for an assured supply and federal funding to deliver it.<\/p>\n

Tribal water rights \u2013 once they\u2019re fully resolved \u2013 could add up to about one-quarter of the river\u2019s historic flows, according to the Water & Tribes Initiative<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the Ute Indian Tribe’s reservation east of Salt Lake City, a water settlement has been delayed for decades because not everyone now agrees on the amount the tribe should receive.<\/p>\n

Tribal leaders say they\u2019re tired of pressing the federal government to protect its interests. They maintain the way water has been apportioned in Utah has been unfair, though Utah state officials disagree.<\/p>\n

\u201cUntil you start to deal with the inequities or the injustice, you can never really have any momentum going forward,\u201d said Shaun Chapoose, chairman of the Ute Business Committee.<\/p>\n

In a statement to The Associated Press, the Interior Department did not say how tribal water rights, which are federal rights, would be protected as the river\u2019s flow decreases. It said it is working with tribes that are affected by drought.<\/p>\n

Back on the Hualapai reservation, the tribe has been chasing groundwater for years.<\/p>\n

Querta\u2019s job is a grind, but he\u2019s well-suited for it \u2013 analytical, quick and goal-oriented.<\/p>\n

The truck takes a beating on the gravel and dirt road on multiple round trips of more than 30 miles most days. The side mirrors and back windows have rattled loose and are held on by red duct tape. Major truck repairs or illness can put him out of commission.<\/p>\n

COVID-19 sidelined Querta for two weeks last year with no replacement.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t mind because I didn\u2019t want anybody to mess up my truck or my tanks,\u201d said Querta. \u201cI take care of this truck like it\u2019s mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

The water he taps is sent through a pipeline just outside Peach Springs to Grand Canyon West. Revenue from tourism pays for programs for the elderly, public works, the cultural center and other services. The main tourist attraction is the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a glass bridge with a view of the Colorado River 4,000 feet below.<\/p>\n

\"People
People walk across the Grand Canyon Skywalk on Hualapai reservation Aug. 16 in northwestern Arizona. About 700,000 tourists a year visit the Grand Canyon on the Hualapai reservation in northwestern Arizona \u2013 an operation that\u2019s the tribe\u2019s main source of revenue. (John Locher\/Associated Press)<\/span>John Locher<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A restaurant overlooking the canyon operates with water conservation in mind \u2013 waterless urinals, faucets with sensors, bottled water and food served in disposable containers. Those practices will remain even if Hualapai gets water from the Colorado River, said operations manager Alvaro Cobia-Ruesga.<\/p>\n

The Hualapai Tribe has long planned to expand Grand Canyon West with a store, fire and police station, housing and elementary school to serve tribal members who now ride a shuttle up to five hours round trip daily from Peach Springs and surrounding communities to their jobs there.<\/p>\n

But without a secure source of water for Grand Canyon West, it won\u2019t happen, said tribal Chairman Damon Clarke.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the biggest things with our settlement is hope for the future and getting this not for us at this time, but for the generations ahead,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"People
People eat at a restaurant overlooking the Grand Canyon Skywalk on Hualapai reservation on Aug. 16, in northwestern Arizona. About 700,000 tourists a year visit the Grand Canyon on the Hualapai reservation in northwestern Arizona \u2013 an operation that\u2019s the tribe\u2019s main source of revenue. (John Locher\/Associated Press)<\/span>John Locher<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Rancher
Rancher Clay Bravo leans against his truck as his pet dog Whisky stands on the roof on the Hualapai reservation Aug. 16, in northwestern Arizona. Despite the Colorado River coursing more than 100 miles through Hualapai land, the tribe can\u2019t draw from it. Bravo said the tribe should wait on a settlement, negotiate a better deal and develop groundwater resources at the same time. (John Locher\/Associated Press)<\/span>John Locher<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Garnett
Garnett Querta fills his water truck from a fire hydrant on the Hualapai reservation Aug. 15 in Peach Springs, Ariz. The water pulled from the ground here will be piped dozens of miles across the rugged landscape to serve about 700,000 tourists a year who visit the Grand Canyon on the Hualapai reservation in northwestern Arizona. (John Locher\/Associated Press)<\/span>John Locher<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Garnett
Garnett Querta rinses out a vial after checking the water hauled on his truck on the Hualapai reservation Aug. 15 near Peach Springs, Ariz. (John Locher\/Associated Press)<\/span>John Locher<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Garnett
Garnett Querta attaches a water hose to his truck on the Hualapai reservation Aug. 15 in Peach Springs, Ariz. Tape helps keep the rearview mirror from falling off as he navigates dirt roads while hauling water. (John Locher\/Associated Press)<\/span>John Locher<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Rancher
Rancher Clay Bravo leans against his truck on the Hualapai reservation Aug. 16 in northwestern Arizona. Despite the Colorado River coursing more than 100 miles through Hualapai land, the tribe can\u2019t draw from it. Bravo said the tribe should wait on a settlement, negotiate a better deal and develop groundwater resources at the same time. (John Locher\/Associated Press)<\/span>John Locher<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Garnett Querta wipes sweat from his head while hauling water on the Hualapai reservation Aug. 15, near Peach Springs, Ariz. The water pulled from the ground here will be piped dozens of miles across the rugged landscape to serve about 700,000 tourists a year who visit the Grand Canyon on the Hualapai reservation in northwestern […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38210,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[1462,402,561],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-38209","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-colorado-river","tag-drought","tag-native-american"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38209","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38209"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38209\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38210"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38209"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38209"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38209"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=38209"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}