Paths of Life

Tohono O’odham and Akimel O’odham:
When Anglos Took Their Water...

In 1870, the Akimel O'odham living along the Gila River near Phoenix produced over 3,000,000 pounds of wheat, feeding most of the Anglo soldiers and settlers in the region. But by 1890, these same farmers were destitute. Anglo immigrants near Florence had diverted the river for their own use, leaving little water for the O'odham fields. In later years, miners and ranchers sank wells to drain off the water beneath the Tohono O'odham reservation.

In 1975, the Tohono O'odham initiated a lawsuit against the city of Tucson, mining companies, farmers, and ranchers who had taken their water. This led to the passage of an act by Congress that granted the Tohono O'odham nation water from the Central Arizona Project.

As water becomes more scarce throughout the Southwest, it will become an increasingly important political issue for all Native American peoples.