The Hopi Tribe and the Bureau of Reclamation

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The Hopi Tribe and theBureau of Reclamation

• Hopi Drought Contingency Plan
• Hopi Tribal Council Resolution H-097-2000
• Department of Natural Resources
• Arnold Taylor, Sr. - Manager

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HOPI STEWARDSHIP HOPITUTSKWA
Flagstaff
Winslow
Springerville
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(No Transcript)
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Hopi Reservation
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Steps in Partnership

• Memorandum of Agreement
• Water Resources Assessment
• Hopi High School Nanofiltration Plant
• Pasture Canyon Irrigation System upgrades
• Endangered Species Investigations
• 5-year Water Needs Assessment
• Drought Contingency Plan
• C-Aquifer Exploration

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Memorandum of Agreement

• First MOA between a Tribe and Bureau of
  Reclamation May 21, 2002
• Establishes partnership to address tribal water
  supply/water quality needs
• Provides mechanism for funding for
  investigations/technical assistance

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Water Resources Assessment

• Provided a foundation for future water supply and
  water quality investigations and development
• Assessed water availability from multiple sources
• Identified water supply and water quality
  limitations
• Used to justify Water Needs Assessment

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Water Needs Assessment

• Investigated possibility of enterprise farming
  activity ongoing
• Will investigate conjunctive uses of blended
  groundwater sources
• Will investigate alluvial groundwater
  availability
• Will quantify water needs for future population
  and economic development

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Purposes for developing a Hopi Drought
Contingency Plan

• Provide Hopi Tribal procedure to declare drought
• Develops drought preparedness and mitigation
  action plan
• Promise made to provide funds to prepare for and
  mitigate drought conditions
• Allows Tribe, rather than State or Interior
  Secretary, to declare drought
• Identifies monitoring plan specific to Hopi lands
• Drought Plan to be presented to Congress

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Hopi Drought Contingency Plan

• Identifies system upgrades necessary for drought
  preparedness
• Develops triggers to define stages of drought
  based upon climate, hydrology, range vegetation
  and soil conditions
• Prescribes response actions during drought
  conditions

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Hopi Drought Contingency Plan

• History
• Summer 1996 Severe Drought Conditions
• 1997 Funding received from BOR under P.L.
  102-250, Title II, Drought Contingency Planning
  in amount of 100,000.
• 1998 Formation of Hopi Drought Task Team First
  public participation process begun Consultants
  hired Consultations begun with Federal, State
  and Local Government Agencies

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Hopi Drought Contingency Plan

• History
• 1999 Received Draft Hopi Drought Monitoring Plan
  Hopi Water Availability Plan which were
  circulated for comments within Tribal Govt
  second public participation process begun
  completed government consultations
• 2000 Third public participation process begun and
  all processes completed circulated Draft Hopi
  Drought Monitoring Plan for comment to government
  agencies document revised

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Hopi Drought Contingency Plan

• COMPONENTS
• Hopi Drought Plan Summary
• Monitoring for Drought on Hopi Lands
• Preparing for Drought (mitigation/vulnerability
  reduction strategies)
• In Case of Drought Action planning for drought
  times
• Hopi Drought Monitoring Plan
• Preliminary Assessment of Water Availability on
  Hopi Lands
• Water Development on Hopi Range Lands
• Current Water Demand and Well Completion Info
• Complete List of Drought Programs

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Hopi Drought Task Team
Chairman Issues Drought Declaration
Vice Chairman Chair
Village Governments
Hopi Public Radio
Dept. of Natural Resources Manager
Dept. of Administration Tech. Support Manager
Natural Resources Planner
Land Operations Director
Land Information System Director
Water Resources Program Director
Hopi Lands Office Director
Hopi Resource Enforcement Services
Livestock Associations
Land Monitors
Range Technicians
Hydrologist
Water Technicians
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Hopi Drought Contingency Plan

• Identified Agency Partnerships / Relationships
• Bureau of Reclamation
• Bureau of Indian Affairs
• USDA Farm Service Agency
• USDA NRCS
• FEMA
• Arizona Division of Emergency Management
• Navajo County Emergency Services
• US Geological Survey
• NOAA - National Weather Service
• Indian Health Services Environmental Protection
  Agency

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Anticipated Hopi Drought Response in 2002

• Update 2002 Declaration of Extreme Drought
• Early Sale of cull livestock and calf crop
• Provide alternative sources of livestock, farm
  fields and wildlife water
• Public education and outreach campaign
• Pursue financial assistance for drought relief
• Enforcement of range codes and reductions

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Drought Impacts Lack of Soil Moisture is not
conducive to Traditional Hopi Dry Farming
Fallow Field in Bacavi Farming Area
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Drought Impacts Current Range Conditions 80
Overall Fair Quality 10 Poor Quality 8-10
Extremely Poor Quality
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Drought Impact Range Conditions at Kykotsmovi
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Drought Impacts on Woodlands Insect
infestationPinyon ips
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Drought Impacts Wetlands Rehabilitation Efforts
Wildlife Habitat are negatively affected and
diminished
Polacca Wash Tamarisk Infestation
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Drought Impacts Current surface water
impoundments are estimated at only 20 holding
some water. Summer season will create stress.
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Recent backsliding on drought plan by Reclamation

• Request to delete all mention of fund
  requirements for drought preparedness and
  mitigation
• Requires 50-50 cost share for technical assistance

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Hopi Drought Plan is a Hopi Document

• Drought plan adopted by the Hopi Tribal Council
• Plan cannot be amended without a vote of the
  Tribal Council
• Original approval of plan by Council based upon
  promise of funds to implement plan

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Hopi Drought Plan without funds

• Establishes a procedural commitment for the Hopi
  Tribe without providing financial capacity for
  implementationan unfunded mandate
• A drought can be declared, but preparation for
  drought cannot be made
• There is no money to respond to drought as
  specified in the plan
• There is no money for drought monitoring

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Cost share for technical assistance

• The Hopi Tribe is not a gaming tribe and does not
  have non-federal funds to meet new 50-50 cost
  share requirements
• New cost share formula provides incentive for
  gaming on reservations
• Cost share formula discriminates against
  non-gaming tribes
• No provision for hardship reduction

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Recommendations to Reclamation

• Be a true partner by negotiating issues such as
  technical assistance in an arena in which Tribes
  have a voice, rather than behind closed doors
• Actively pursue funding for drought preparedness
  for Tribes
• Provide hardship clause for cost share such as in
  EPA grants to avoid discrimination against
  non-gaming Tribes

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Thank you for your attention