" For centuries, Indian people across this great country have respected and cared for water, one of our planet’s most precious natural resources. This long-standing tradition has evolved sophisticated systems of sustainable resource management focused on maintaining a very sensitive ecological balance.

That balance has been under increasing assault as more and more people share the land and require safe and sustainable water sources.

Here in Washington, one city has teamed up with an Indian tribe to develop a new regional sustainable water source that will also strengthen the environmental sustainability, water stewardship and wildlife habitat of the water bodies throughout the Nisqually Watershed region

On May 14, the city of Olympia and the Nisqually Indian Tribe entered into a water source partnership that is widely believed to be the first agreement of its kind between a city and an American Indian tribe.

In this historic partnership, the city and the tribe agreed to jointly develop a new regional water source, known as the McAllister Wellfield. This joint agreement benefits everyone involved. By partnering with the city, the tribe will be able to move from its shallow, low-producing wells to a cleaner, sustainable water supply. The city, in turn, will be able to retire McAllister Springs as a municipal water source after 60 years of use. "

Get the Story:
Nisqually Tribe Chair Cynthia Iyall: City, tribe team up on clean water project (The Seattle Daily Journal 6/26)