Congressional quantification of Indian reserved water rights: a definitive solution or a mirage? [Water use, conservation, USA]

Quantification of American indian water rights in the southwestern U.S. is seen as a solution to dwindling water supplies. The quantification of water rights for the Navajo indian irrigation project demonstrates that this is not always an equitable solution, and that water conservation is not necessarily a neutral activity that distributes benefits equally to all users. Growth of the irrigation project in the past decade has prompted increased demands for more water to be allocated from the San Juan river. Legal issues involved in the granting of this expansion are discussed.