But agriculture is not the whole story for the region's water. The Bureau of Reclamation is involved in the San Juan Recovery Project, dealing with endangered species along the river. Though they're not protected, trout are major players in the Four Corners water game. The river attracts a number of fly-fishers every day, boosting the local economy. Rainbow and cutthroat trout average 13 to 20 inches in length.
Fish are plentiful and much of the upper river is shallow enough for easy wading.
To protect the interests of all water users, a 40-year water study is planned to determine future needs of various industries. All of the major players will have to tighten down their water use and implement conservation technologies. In areas of the Four Corners where surface water is not so abundant, water quality education is vital. According to the U.S. Bureau of Census, 13.4 percent of people living on the Navajo Reservation aren't connected to a public water supply or domestic well. The majority of those who do have access to domestic water supplies draw such poor quality water that they opt to haul water from local springs instead.