Supreme Court rules against Navajo Nation in Colorado River water rights case

The Supreme Court has ruled against the Navajo Nation in a dispute involving water from the drought-stricken Colorado River. States that draw water from the river — Arizona, Nevada and Colorado — and water districts in California had urged the court to decide for them, and that’s what the justices did in a 5-4 ruling. Colorado had argued that siding with the Navajo Nation would undermine existing agreements and disrupt the management of the river. The Biden administration said that if the court were to come down in favor of the Navajo Nation, the federal government could face lawsuits from many other tribes.