Navajo Indian Irrigation Project facts for kids
The Navajo Indian Irrigation Project (NIIP) (Navajo: Dáʼákʼeh Ntsaa) is a very large farming project located in the northwest part of New Mexico. It's one of the biggest farms in the United States that is owned and run by Native American people. This big project began in the 1930s. At that time, the government wanted to help the Navajo Nation create more jobs and improve their economy. The NIIP was officially approved by Congress in 1962. The Bureau of Reclamation was given the job of building this important project.
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Getting Water to the Farms
The NIIP gets its water from Navajo Lake. This lake is a reservoir, which is like a giant storage pond, formed by the Navajo Dam on the San Juan River. Water travels a long way from the lake to the farms.
How Water Travels
The water is moved southwest using a system of canals and smaller channels. There are about 70.2 miles (113.0 km) of main canals. There are also about 340 miles (550 km) of smaller channels called laterals. These channels help spread the water to all the different farm fields.
The Farming Area
The farms are located on high, flat areas south of Farmington. This region has a very dry climate, which means it doesn't get much rain. That's why irrigation, or bringing water to the land, is so important for farming here.
History and Growth of the Project
The Navajo Indian Irrigation Project was first planned to create jobs for Native American families who wanted to farm. Over time, it has grown into a very large farming business.
Project Approval and Construction
The project was officially allowed on June 13, 1962. It was designed to water about 110,630 acres (44,770 ha) of land. Construction started in 1964. By the end of 1977, most of the main canals and drainage systems were finished.
Bringing Land into Production
Farmland was slowly brought into use in sections called "blocks." Each block was usually about 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) in size. By 2011, seven blocks were being watered, totaling about 63,881 acres (25,852 ha) of farmland. An eighth block was also being developed.
Water Rights
The project has the right to use a specific amount of water from the San Juan River each year. This amount is 508,000 acre-feet (0.627 km3) of water. This ensures there is enough water for all the crops grown on the project.
