Welcome
Our mission is to manage, protect, develop, and restore the Nez Perce Tribe’s surface and groundwater resources and watershed environments in the treaty-reserved homelands for the benefit, health, culture, and welfare of the tribal public.
The Nez Perce Tribe’s Water Resources Division (WRD) was established in 1986 to manage the water resources of the Reservation and work on the Snake River Basin Adjudication process.
Programs
The Water Resources Division houses a number of different programs to address different facets of water management on the Reservation. These programs deal with: Water Quality Assessment; Nonpoint Source Pollution control; Wetland Assessment; Brownfields Assessment; Leaking Underground Storage Tank Assessment; Hazardous Material Spill Response; and Utilities.
What We Do
Water quality and quantity have important cultural and economic significance for the Nez Perce Tribe. The mission of the WRD is to “provide a foundation for management of the water rights secured by the Treaties of 1855 and 1863, and for monitoring the quality of water resources vital to the long-term sustainability of the Nez Perce Tribe and its heirs” (Nez Perce Tribe Water Resources Division Plan of Work 2005)
Special Projects
The Water Resources Division has taken on a number of different projects over the years that fall outside of the normal scope of existing programs. Among these projects include: development of a Climate Change Adaptation Plan and creation of documentary videos addressing Environmental Justice and the hazards of lead in the environment.
Staff Directory
The Water Resources Division currently has 18 full-time employees. Visit the profile page to learn more about them.