Membership is open to all present and former NRCS employees. Twenty-one American Indian tribes are headquartered in Arizona. For example, many American Indian lands are held in trust meaning that individual land ownership does not exist on lands held in trust. Government programs that tie benefits to the individual landowners, therefore, make it very difficult for American Indians to participate. Employees also learned that in American Indian societies, the decisionmaking process is more inclusive.
Tribal leaders consult with tribal elders and others before making final decisions.
The plans will be developed by an interdisciplinary team from Nevada and Idaho, including two tribal members, using the latest technology such as digital orthophoto quads and global positioning and geographic information systems. The project is expected to be completed in early 1988. The Duck Valley planning project is the result of a Memorandum of Agreement signed by Nevada State Conservationist William Goddard and Tribal Council Chairman James Paiva. Janine Castro, NRCS Geomorphologist with SHRT, presented the results of her research on the use and modification of the Rosgen Classification of Natural Rivers. Castro has developed regional hydraulic geometry relationships which refine the classification system's use and application in the Northwest.