Pacific Southwest, Region 9
Serving: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, 148 Tribes
Tribal Successes and Challenges: Natural and Cultural Resource Challenges
Tribal Program Quick FinderNote: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
Tribes face competition for scarce water; contamination of subsistence foods, plants
In the water-scarce Pacific Southwest, water quantity and quality are vital issues. In 2002, water diversions from the Klamath River in Northern California were widely blamed for contributing to the sudden death of 30,000 adult salmon in the river – an estimated 30% of the river’s salmon population, a key food source for several tribes.
Tribes are also affected by air deposition of toxic substances on subsistence foods and materials used in basket weaving. The occurrence and effects of persistent organic pollutants is a cause for great concern for many tribes. This is a global issue, as many of these chemicals are transported by air across international borders.
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