Supreme Court weighs Navajo Nation's water rights in Colorado River dispute.
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Arizona v. Navajo Nation, a case revolving around whether the U.S. government is obligated to fulfill Native American reservations’ water needs. The Navajo Nation argues that an 1868 treaty guarantees their agricultural needs, which includes water rights. The U.S. argued that treaty obligations did not include an obligation to develop specific water infrastructure. The case also involves the allocation of rights to the Colorado River between the seven states in the river’s basin. The stakes are particularly high for Indigenous people in the region, considering the ongoing drought in the western U.S.