The following list details Indian water rights related legislation pending before the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
The information is compiled by the Tribal Water Institute, a project of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF). These updates are part of a free water law publication called The Headwaters Report. The information provided here is also thanks to the National Indian Law Library, which offers monthly bulletins on a wider variety of Native American law topics.
Last Updated: May 12, 2025
- S. 240
Title: Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025 / A bill to amend the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 to make improvements to that Act, and for other purposes. - S.241
Title: Northern Montana Water Security Act of 2025 / A bill to provide for the settlement of the water rights claims of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, and for other purposes. - S.546
Title: Technical Correction to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 / A bill to amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to make a technical correction to the water rights settlement for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, and for other purposes. - S.562
Title: Rio San José and Rio Jemez Water Settlements Act of 2025 / A bill to approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Pueblos of Acoma and Laguna in the Rio San Jose Stream System and the Pueblos of Jemez and Zia in the Rio Jemez Stream System in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes. - S.563
Title: Ohkay Owingeh Rio Chama Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 / A bill to approve the settlement of water rights claims of Ohkay Owingeh in the Rio Chama Stream System, to restore the Bosque on Pueblo Land in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes. - S.564
Title: Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 / A bill to approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Zuni Indian Tribe in the Zuni River Stream System in the State of New Mexico, to protect the Zuni Salt Lake, and for other purposes. - S.565
Title: Navajo Nation Rio San José Stream System Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 / A bill to approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Navajo Nation in the Rio San Jose Stream System in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes. - S.637
Title: Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project Amendments Act of 2025 / A bill to amend the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act to make improvements to that Act, and for other purposes. - S.640
Title: Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act / A bill to amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to make a technical correction to the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund, to amend the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 to make technical corrections to the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund and Aamodt Settlement Pueblos’ Fund, and for other purposes. - S.689
Title: Tule River Tribe Reserved Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 / A bill to approve the settlement of the water right claims of the Tule River Tribe, and for other purposes - S.953
Title: Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 / A bill to provide for the settlement of the water rights claims of the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, and the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, and for other purposes.
- H.R.635
Title: WaterSMART Access for Tribes Act / To amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to increase Tribal access to water conservation and efficiency grants, and for other purposes. - H.R. 726
Title: Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025 / To amend the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010 to make improvements to that Act, and for other purposes. - H.R.907
Title: Northern Montana Water Security Act of 2025 / To provide for the settlement of the water rights claims of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, and for other purposes. - H.R.1444
Title: Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 / To approve the settlement of water rights claims of the Zuni Indian Tribe in the Zuni River Stream System in the State of New Mexico, to protect the Zuni Salt Lake, and for other purposes. - H.R.2025
Title: To provide for the settlement of the water rights claims of the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, and the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, and for other purposes.
