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Tribal Water Law CLE

Protecting Native American Sovereign Interests
September 9–10 | Santa Fe, New Mexico
Join Tribal leaders, attorneys, government officials, and environmental experts for essential updates on the critical water issues facing Native communities. Earn CLE credit, build professional connections, and stay informed.
Register here

Balancing Water Needs in the Rio Grande Basin

The Rio Grande Basin is a heavily managed system shaped by extensive human intervention—dams, diversions, canals, and legal frameworks. Navigating its competing demands requires deep coordination among diverse entities.

Key Players

• Federal: DOI, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
   
• State: NM Office of the State Engineer, Interstate Stream Commission, CO Department of Natural Resources
   
• Tribal: Pueblos of Cochiti, Santo Domingo, San Felipe, Santa Ana, Sandia
   
• Local: City of Albuquerque, Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District
   
• NGOs: Audubon New Mexico, WildEarth Guardians
   

Core Legal & Ecological Issues

• Pueblo Water Rights: Historic use remains unquantified but includes past, present, and future needs.
   
• New Mexico Law: Follows prior appropriation, but water rights in the Middle Rio Grande remain unadjudicated.
   
• Rio Grande Compact: Governs water use between CO, NM, and TX—excluding Pueblo rights.
   
• Endangered Species Act: Protects the Rio Grande silvery minnow, triggering regulatory constraints.
   
• Climate Change: Expected to reduce river flows by 25% over the next 50 years.
   

System Infrastructure

Includes major storage and diversion structures:

• Elephant Butte, Caballo, El Vado, Abiquiu, Cochiti Reservoirs
   
• Angostura, Isleta, and San Acacia Diversion Dams
   

Federal Assessment Efforts

The U.S. Department of the Interior has established a Federal Assessment Team to explore negotiated settlement of the Six MRG Pueblos' water rights.

Conclusion:
Balancing the basin’s water needs requires collaborative legal frameworks, respect for Tribal rights, and adaptation to evolving environmental realities.