Moapa Band of Paiute Indians facts for kids
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| Regions with significant populations | |
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 United States ( Nevada) |
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| Languages | |
| Southern Paiute, English |
The Moapa Band of Paiute Indians are a Native American group. They are part of the Southern Paiute people. This group lives in southern Nevada on the Moapa River Indian Reservation. They are a "federally recognized tribe." This means the United States government officially recognizes them as a sovereign nation. In the past, they were also known as the Muappa / Moapat and the Nuwuvi.
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What is Moapa Culture Like?
The Moapa people are very skilled at making baskets. For their clothes, they traditionally used materials from nature. These included animal hides, fibers from the yucca plant, and bark from the cliff-rose tree.
A Look at Moapa History
Before Europeans arrived, the Moapa people were farmers. They used special systems to water their crops, which is called irrigation. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, they traded with Spanish explorers. These explorers came from California and Arizona. However, no Spanish missions were built in the Moapa area.
In 1869, the United States government moved the Southern Paiute people to the Moapa area. At first, their reservation included a large area. This covered the entire Moapa River watershed. It also included lands along the Colorado River. Some of these lands are now under Lake Mead. But in 1875, their reservation became much smaller. It was reduced to about 1,000 acres (405 hectares).
The Moapa people faced hard times in the 1920s and 1930s. Many people became sick and passed away from diseases.
In 1941, the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians created a formal constitution. This helped them organize their government. In 1980, their reservation grew much larger. About 75,000 acres (30,351 hectares) were added. Today, some Moapa people move to other parts of the country. They do this to find work.
Where is the Moapa Reservation?
The Moapa River Indian Reservation is close to Moapa Town, Nevada. The reservation covers about 71,954 acres (29,119 hectares). In 2010, the population was 238 people. This was a small increase from 206 people in 2000.
The I-15 highway goes through the reservation. It runs from the northeast to the southwest. The reservation is also next to Valley of Fire State Park in the southeast. Part of the highway and a road leading to the park entrance are on the reservation land.
How Does the Reservation Use Solar Energy?
The reservation is home to a large solar power plant. It is called the Moapa Southern Paiute Solar Project. This plant can make 250 megawatts of electricity. That's enough energy to power about 111,000 homes! It also helps reduce carbon dioxide pollution. Another solar farm, the Eagle Shadow Mountain Solar Farm, is being built. It is planned to produce 300 megawatts of solar power.
In 2019, the Paiute people made an agreement with Berkshire Hathaway's NV Energy. This agreement was for two new solar and battery storage projects.
One project is the Southern Bighorn Solar & Storage Center. It is being built by 8minutenergy Renewables. It will produce 300 megawatts of solar power. It will also have a battery system to store 540 megawatt-hours of energy.
Another project is the Arrow Canyon Solar Project. EDF Renouvelables is building this one. It will produce 200 megawatts of solar power. It will also store 375 MWh of energy. This project is expected to be ready by 2023.
