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: January 23, 2026
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PENDING LEGISLATION FOR TRIBAL WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENTS
CROW TRIBE WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT
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. Status: 12/11/2025, Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. | 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. Status: 01/24/2025, Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. |
FT. BELKNAP INDIAN COMMUNITY WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT
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. Status: 03/05/2025, Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably. | 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. Status: 01/31/2025, Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. |
ZUNI INDIAN TRIBE WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT
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. Status: 03/05/2025, Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably. | 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. Status: 02/18/2025, Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. |
TULE RIVER TRIBE WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT
| 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 Status: 05/12/2025, Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. | House bill not yet introduced |
PUEBLOS OF ACOMA AND LAGUNA AND PUEBLOS OF JEMEZ AND ZIA WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENTS
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. Status: 03/05/2025, Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably. | H.R.1322 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 José 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. Status: 02/13/2025, Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. |
SHOSHONE-PAIUTE TRIBES OF THE DUCK VALLEY RESERVATION WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT
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. Status:12/11/2025, Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent | House bill not yet introduced. |
OHKAY OWINGHEH WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT
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. Status: 03/05/2025, Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably. | H.R.1323 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. Status: 02/13/2025, Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. |
NAVAJO NATION WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT (SAN JOSÉ STREAM SYSTEM)
| 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. Status: 03/05/2025, Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably. | H.R.1324 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 José Stream System in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes. Status: 02/13/2025, Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. |
NAVAJO NATION, HOPI TRIBE, AND SAN JUAN SOUTHERN PAIUTE TRIBE WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT
| 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. Status: 03/11/2025, Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. | 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. Status: 03/11/2025, Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. |
OTHER LEGISLATION
| 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. Status: 03/05/2025 Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably. | H.R.1482 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. Status: 02/21/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources |
| 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. Status: 12/11/2025 Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. | H.R.4598 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. Status: 7/22/2025, Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. |
| Senate bill not yet introduced. | 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. Status: 01/22/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. |
