Through Tribal Water Rights Settlements: Closing the Clean Water Access Gap in the Navajo Nation

Presenter(s):
Crystal Tulley-Cordova (Navajo Nation DWR)
Seminar Date:
Nov 11, 2025
About the Talk:

One in three households in the Navajo Nation lacks access to clean water in their homes. Barriers to providing clean water access include the need for capital infrastructure development, deteriorating or inadequate infrastructure, and water quality and production challenges. The Navajo Nation is the largest land-based and populated Tribe in the United States, and tribal water settlements is how they are working to diversify the Navajo Nation’s water portfolio and develop a more secure and sustainable water future.

About the Speaker:

Crystal Tulley-Cordova, PhD, MWR, is a Principal Hydrologist in the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources – Water Management Branch. Crystal currently works on securing water rights and developing water infrastructure projects for the Navajo Nation. She has worked collaboratively with Navajo Nation partners on water-related research since 2013.