Case Studies, Video, and Publications on Tribal Water Quality Standards

Video: Our Water Our Future: Saving Our Tribal Life Force Together
This video documents the successful protection of water quality on two Native American reservations - the Pueblo of Acoma in New Mexico and the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation in Washington. Tribal elders and leaders and the directors and staffs of tribal environmental departments recount their experiences.

Case Study: Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Indian Reservation (pdf) (371.86 KB, July 2006, EPA-823-R-06-007)
The Tribes have established a water quality standards program to preserve the high quality waters and restore those that have been degraded.
Case Study: The Hoopa Valley Tribe (pdf) (740.16 KB, July 2006, EPA-823-R-06-004)
The Hoopa's water quality standards establish 16 different designated uses for their water bodies including ceremonial and cultural water use, fish spawning, and water contact recreation.
Case Study: The Sokaogon Chippewa Community (pdf) (430.07 KB, July 2006, EPA-823-R-06-005)
The Tribe decided to assume greater responsibility and control of the present and future conditions of its water resources and applied to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to administer its own water quality standards program.
Case Study: The Hualapai Tribe (pdf) (531.93 KB, July 2006, EPA-823-R-06-006)
Since adopting water quality standards, the Tribe has been an equal partner with federal, state, and local authorities in discussing activities that could affect tribal waters.
Case Study: The Fort Peck Tribes Use Biological Criteria for Their Water Quality Standards (pdf) (921.03 KB, April 15, 2003)
Biological criteria allow a tribe to set goals for waterbodies based on the type and number of aquatic species that should be present.
Case Study: The Seminole Tribe of Florida Uses Water Quality Standards to Solve a Nutrient Problem (pdf) (773.48 KB, April 15, 2003)
The tribe determined high nutrient levels from large scale agriculture and tribal activities were disrupting aquatic ecology on the Big Cypress reservation. Five years after instituting water quality standards the tribe began to measure decreases in nutrients entering the waters.
Glossary of Terms Used in Case Studies (pdf) (766.26 KB)
Brochure: How Water Quality Standards Protect Tribal Waters (pdf) (2.3 MB)
Water Management Solutions, A Guide for Indian Tribes (pdf) (4.07 MB)
Tribal Environmental & Natural Resource Assistance Handbook (pdf) (675.85 KB, March 1999)

Case Studies, Video, and Publications on Tribal Water Quality Standards

Water Quality Standards: Regulations and Resources