Native American Heritage Month: Flowing Together with Water Restoration Projects

As we close November, Native American Heritage Month, we pay special tribute to the rich traditions, cultural diversity and impactful legacies of Native communities across the United States. Let’s look at some of the work P&G is doing to help build a Water Positive Future in partnership with Native American communities who have deep knowledge of local water challenges and solutions, as well as with on the ground partners like the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.

P&G’s strategy to help build a water positive future.

Water is essential for making and using P&G products, used by billions of people around the world — from washing dishes and doing the laundry, to washing your hair and shaving. Our comprehensive Water Positive Future Strategy, introduced in 2022, is focused on reducing water in our operations, restoring water in water-stressed areas and responding to water challenges through innovation and partnership.

As part of this strategy, we aim to:
• Restore more water than is consumed at P&G manufacturing sites in 18 water-stressed areas around the world. This goal focuses on water that evaporates during the manufacturing process or is incorporated into our finished products.
and
• Restore more water than is consumed during the use of our products in the water-stressed metropolitan areas of Mexico City and Los Angeles. This goal focuses on water that leaks or evaporates in households during the use of P&G products.

LEARN MORE: P&G’S WATER POSITIVE FUTURE STRATEGY

This involves collaborating with local partners to implement long-term projects that aim to improve, manage or protect freshwater resources. This can include projects that are helping to restore wetlands, replenish aquifers, improve irrigation efficiency or water quality. More than 40 water restoration projects are underway in the United States alone, and several are being implemented by Native American tribes on Tribal land, including the following projects.

Quechan Tribe Water Conservation and Restoration

P&G is working with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) to support the Quechan tribe in relocating an irrigation pumping station for greater efficiency and enrolling tribal land into a rotational fallowing program. This involves alternating periods of crop cultivation and unplanted land to enhance soil health, manage pests and improve water retention. Its aim is to reduce agricultural water demand and reallocate the saved water to maintain riparian habitat restoration, wetland water supply projects, and participate in water conservation programs that bolster water levels at Lake Mead.

Cocopah West Riparian Restoration

The Colorado River continues to be essential to both the traditional and contemporary ways of life of the Cocopah Tribe. However, while in the past this region was home to extensive river and floodplain habitat, for decades the river has not regularly flowed past a certain point due primarily to damming, diversion and drought. Through this project in partnership with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, the Cocopah Tribe plans to support the restoration of the floodplain habitat to support species recovery and tribal culture. This will include removing and replacing non-native vegetation to create healthy wetlands and sustaining these restored habitats using a new water conveyance system, with hopes of maintaining the restored areas for years to come.

Helping Bolster Declining Water Levels in Lake Mead

Together with the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) System Conservation Project, we are helping to conserve 150,000 acre-feet of water in Arizona. In partnership with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, CRIT and the Arizona Department of Water Resources, this project represents one of the largest collaborative funding efforts of its kind and will help to directly bolster declining water levels in Lake Mead, a crucial water source for the American Southwest. This project will secure long-term water supply benefits for the region, ensuring the sustainability of this vital resource for years to come. Additionally, this initiative will compensate the CRIT for the conservation of their Colorado River water rights, supporting their long-term endeavors to modernize irrigation systems and conserve water. Click here for more information.

Enhancing Irrigation Efficiency

With our Cascade brand, we also supported the CRIT System Conservation Project to enhance irrigation efficiency, helping to modernize irrigation systems, which not only conserves critical water but also contributes to a more sustainable and efficient agricultural future.

Restoring Habitat in Idaho: The Wuda Ogwa Water & Habitat Eco-Restoration Project

The Wuda Ogwa (Bear River) Water and Habitat Eco-Restoration Project goes beyond restoring water. With our partners at the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, this project underway aims to create a more natural stream channel, which will enhance a mile of habitat along the existing waterway. Anticipated outcomes include the recovery of vital habitat along Battle Creek, improved hydrologic conditions in the floodplain, wetlands and riparian areas and boosted instream flows for better water quality and habitat.

Sharing Knowledge, Supporting Solutions

Water scarcity is a complex issue that varies by region, and addressing it requires understanding the local context. We're grateful to our on-the-ground partners in each of these Tribes and more for sharing their deep knowledge of the local challenges, communities and landscapes, that are helping to support solutions for a water positive future.