Padilla, Schiff Move to Finalize Historic Agua Caliente Water Rights Settlement, Advancing Tribal Sovereignty and Water Security

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) today introduced legislation to ratify a historic agreement between the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the United States government, the Coachella Valley Water District, and the Desert Water Agency. Representatives Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) and Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) have introduced companion legislation in the House.

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Water Rights Settlement Act helps fulfill the federal government's long-standing trust responsibility to protect Tribal water resources and delivers a durable, negotiated solution shaped by years of coordination among Tribal leaders, local water agencies, and federal partners.

The agreement - finalized in May 2025 - resolves longstanding water rights issues and represents a major step forward in strengthening Tribal sovereignty, securing water resources, and supporting long-term sustainability in the Coachella Valley. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians' reservation - established in 1876 - features a unique checkerboard pattern of land ownership that has complicated water management for generations.

"This legislation is the culmination of decades of work by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to secure their rightful authority over their water resources," said Senator Padilla. "By ratifying this agreement, we are upholding the federal government's trust responsibilities, strengthening Tribal sovereignty, and delivering long-overdue certainty for the Coachella Valley. It's past time to finalize this settlement and ensure the Tribe has the tools and resources to manage its water for generations to come."

"I am proud to partner with Senator Padilla and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to secure sustainable water resources and ensure the Tribe has critical access to clean drinking water - a basic right for all communities," said Senator Schiff.

"The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians commends Sen Padilla for introducing this important legislation and for his steadfast commitment to upholding tribal sovereignty and responsible water management," said Tribal Chairman Jeff Grubbe, of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians."We look forward to working with our representatives in Congress to swiftly move this legislation forward. This historic Agua Caliente water rights settlement agreement reflects a strong spirit of partnership, affirming the Tribe's authority to manage, regulate, and govern its water resources while advancing shared, long-term water sustainability for the entire Coachella Valley. Through close collaboration, the Tribe and local water districts are working together to ensure the region's water resources remain reliable and resilient for generations to come."

The legislation would:

• Ratify the Tribe's federally reserved water right of up to 20,000 acre-feet per year of groundwater from the Indio Subbasin, along with surface water rights in Tahquitz Creek, Andreas Creek, and Whitewater Ranch, consistent with the May 2025 agreement

• Establish a $500 million Agua Caliente Settlement Trust Fund as part of the settlement resolving long-standing claims related to the Tribe's water resources to support critical investments, including:
  • $300 million for water infrastructure development projects
  • $100 million for groundwater augmentation
  • $50 million for water management
  • $50 million for operation, maintenance, and replacement costs
• Place 2,742 acres of Bureau of Land Management land into trust for the Tribe

Padilla has been a strong advocate for strengthening water resilience across California and advancing partnerships with Tribal communities to secure sustainable water resources. In 2023, President Biden signed into law legislation supported by Padilla to restore Tribal stewardship of sacred lands and ensure federal land management respects Tribal sovereignty. The package included provisions to take more than 2,500 acres of land in the San Jacinto Mountains into trust for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, place roughly 1,000 acres of federal land in Humboldt and Siskiyou counties into trust for the Karuk Tribe, and authorize the Bureau of Land Management to sell or lease certain public lands to Tribes below market value for public and recreational uses.

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians is a federally recognized Tribe based in Palm Springs, with more than 500 members and a history in the region spanning at least 5,000 years. The Tribe is the steward of more than 34,000 acres of ancestral land and is the largest landowner in Palm Springs, Cathedral City, and Rancho Mirage, as well as parts of unincorporated Riverside County.

Local governments, including Riverside County and the surrounding cities, have expressed support for the settlement and its implementation.

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