Water use is increasing on many reservations, and if water rights are settled further increases will be possible. Several groups plan to expand irrigated agriculture as illustrated by this data from the Arizona Department of Water Resources. Key points Agriculture, water supplies, and health are vulnerable to climate change on tribal lands in the Southwest. During the summer of 1997, several flood-related deaths and major economic losses occurred in the region. Nationally, floods cost billions of dollars in insurance and personal losses, and in federal, state and private emergency relief.
Insurance companies are very concerned about climate change.
AZ Tonto Cr. While several significant droughts have occurred during the past century or so, we only have to look at the summer of 1996 to see some of the impacts of drought in the Southwest. The impact of drought on tribal lands was especially serious. The San Carlos reservoir northeast of Phoenix dropped to 25 percent of its volume. 1973-77 AZ Statewide, but most severe in eastern part of state.