This article documents the current status of tribal water rights
in California and explains why they differ from other states. … In 1908, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed in Winters v. U.S. that through the creation of reservations, tribes are entitled to water rights sufficient to meet their homeland needs. … The Klamath Tribes in Oregon, the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe (PLPT) in Nevada, and five reservations along the California-Arizona border hold high-priority Winters rights to surface water crossing the California state line. In each case, the sovereignty tribes were able to exert over their rights increased when tribal priorities aligned with state or federal interests.