Native American tribes have thousands of years of knowledge about water management in the Colorado River Basin. But they have historically been excluded from decisions around allocations and management of the river and water resources. To better understand tribal needs and tribal priorities, the foundation is actively listening to communities in the desert Southwest. Those efforts to listen have surfaced a critical but often overlooked need: ensuring universal access to water for tribal communities.

Senior Environment Program Officer Morgan Snyder speaks with Navajo Nation member Heather Tanana, who leads the Universal Access to Clean Water for Tribal Communities Project, about the water challenges and opportunities facing tribal nations.