On Thursday, the Supreme Court delivered a ruling unfavorable to the Navajo Nation regarding a water dispute concerning the drought-affected Colorado River.

The states of Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado, along with water districts in California, who were parties to the case, had advocated for a decision in their favor, a stance endorsed by a 5-4 majority of the justices.

Colorado argued that supporting the Navajo Nation would jeopardize existing agreements and disrupt river management, Yahoo News reports.

The Biden administration expressed concerns that a ruling favoring the Navajo Nation could invite lawsuits from numerous other tribes.

Representing the Navajo Nation, their legal team presented their request as modest, emphasizing that they sought an evaluation of the tribe’s water requirements and the development of a plan to fulfill them.

Written by staff