Tucson approves negotiations for Pascua Yaqui water rights settlement

Tucson approves negotiations for Pascua Yaqui water rights settlementThe Tucson City Council has directed officials to execute amendments to an intergovernmental agreement with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, aiming to settle water rights and address drought impacts in the Lower Colorado River Basin.

The City Council approved a motion directing the city manager and city attorney to negotiate and execute amendments to the Pascua Yaqui Water Services Intergovernmental Agreement.

The amendments will facilitate the settlement of water rights between the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and the City of Tucson within the Tucson Water Service area.

The agreement developments are tied to broader efforts to alleviate drought conditions in the Lower Colorado River Basin.

The City of Tucson is moving forward with amendments to its water service agreement with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe as part of broader efforts to manage regional water resources. During an August 18 study session, the Tucson City Council unanimously approved a motion directing the city manager and city attorney to negotiate and execute necessary amendments to the Pascua Yaqui Water Services Intergovernmental Agreement. The authorized negotiations aim to facilitate the formal settlement of water rights between the city and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe within the Tucson Water Service area. According to the meeting agenda and the approved council motion, the intergovernmental agreement amendments are directly tied to ongoing water resource developments intended to alleviate severe drought conditions in the Lower Colorado River Basin. The public vote followed a closed executive session where the council reviewed the potential impacts of the regional drought developments on the existing agreement. Following the executive session, the motion to proceed with the negotiations and execute the required amendments was introduced and passed by the council without further public discussion.