Evaluating Institutional Success: Regional Water Agreements with Tribal Nations

Abstract Since the early 1900s, U.S. national, tribal, and state institutions have been addressing conflicts over water entitlements of Native American tribes. The resulting regional water agreements encompass ensuring tribal access to water, defining entitlements for reliable future access, and providing environmental and financial benefits. Identifying approaches to evaluating institutional success in these regional water agreements is useful for effectively addressing current and future water disputes. This article discusses characteristics of eight water agreements that have occurred in the Southwestern United States, applying five economic criteria to evaluate success. The evaluation suggests that newer agreements perform better on the economic criteria, implying that learning about effective agreements is occurring over time. As threats to water quality and quantity intensify worldwide, understanding what contributes to successful regional water agreements becomes increasingly urgent.