In a move that may soon be replicated elsewhere, the Gila River Indian Community recently signed an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to put solar panels over a stretch of irrigation canal on its land south of Phoenix. “This was a historic moment here for the community but also for the region and across Indian Country,” said Gila River Indian Community Gov. The idea is simple: install solar panels over canals in sunny, water-scarce regions where they reduce evaporation and make renewable electricity. Neither the Gila River Indian Community nor the Turlock Irrigation District are the first to implement this technology globally. Tribes hold the most senior water rights on the Colorado River, though many are still settling those rights in court.

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Persons: ”, Stephen Roe Lewis, ” Lewis, Sun Edison, haven't, Heather Tanana, “ Organizations: U.S . Army Corps of Engineers, Community, Twitter, University of California, UC Merced, Irrigation, Sun, Reclamation, Associated Press, Walton Family Foundation, AP Locations: Phoenix, United States, Gila, Merced, Central, Gujarat, U.S, Irvine, Navajo, Colorado, Lake Mead