Native American Water Rights

Native American water rights refer to the legal rights of Indigenous tribes to access and use water resources on their lands. These rights often stem from treaties, historical agreements, or legal doctrines recognizing tribes’ pre-existing interests. In many cases, tribes hold "reserved rights" established when reservations were created, often asserting priority over other users. These rights are essential for sustaining their communities, cultures, and ecosystems. While complex and varying by region, Native American water rights aim to ensure tribes can access sufficient water for drinking, agriculture, cultural practices, and environmental stewardship.