Welcome to the National Tribal Water Council

The NTWC has identified its purpose in its bylaws:

"The NTWC was established to advocate for the best interests of federally-recognized Indian and Alaska Native Tribes, and Tribally-authorized organizations, in matters pertaining to water. It is the intent of the NTWC to advocate for the health and sustainability of clean and safe water, and for the productive use of water for the health and well-being of Indian Country, Indian communities, Alaska Native Tribes and Alaska Native Villages."

At the start of 2021, the National Tribal Water Council took the opportunity to outline several key priority actions that are important and crucial to tribes. A transition brief has been developed and will be shared with the EPA, tribes, the National Tribal Caucus, National Congress of American Indians, and tribal organizations. A copy of the transition briefing document is available by clicking HERE.

As the Chairman of National Tribal Water Council (NTWC),
I welcome you to the new NTWC website.


Hello, my name is Ken Norton and I am an enrolled member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe and serve as the Director of the Hoopa Valley Tribal Environmental Protection Agency, in Hoopa, California. For those of you visiting this site for the first time, I’d like to briefly share about the National Tribal Water Council.

The NTWC was established to advocate for the best interests of federally-recognized Indian and Alaska Native Tribes in matters pertaining to water. It is the intent of the NTWC to advocate for the health and sustainability of clean water, and for the productive use of water for the health and well-being of Indian Country, Indian communities, Alaska Native Tribes, and Alaska Native Villages.

Additionally, the National Tribal Water Council is a technical and scientific body created to assist the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), federally recognized Indian Tribes, including Alaska Native Tribes, and their associated tribal communities and tribal organizations, with research and information for decision-making regarding water issues and water-related concerns that impact Indian and Alaska Native tribal members, as well as other residents of Alaska Native Villages and Indian Country in the United States. Please note: The NTWC is not a policy-making body and its input is not a substitute for government-to-government consultation.

As the NTWC’s website evolves, it will contain NTWC’s policy analysis on water related policies that impact Tribes, important water quality resources for Tribes, and current water quality news. We hope that you will continue to visit the NTWC website as it evolves to better meet the needs of all who are interested in clean and healthy water and healthy Tribal communities.

Lastly, the NTWC is pleased to have the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals as the new administrator of the NTWC Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

I invite you to explore this website and thank you for visiting.

Sincerely,



Ken Norton, Chairman
National Tribal Water Council

A Guidebook for Developing Tribal Water Quality Standards was developed by the National Tribal Water Council to serve as a tool and a guide to assist tribes in developing a water quality standards program under tribal legal authority.

The first section of the guidebook briefly describes the legal and administrative aspects of developing a water quality program. Having general familiarity with the legal background will help tribes more effectively create and operate the program.

The second section of the guidebook briefly describes the technical aspects of developing the program, including setting and administering water quality standards for waterbodies on tribal land.

While the federal government has set out a water quality management approach in the Clean Water Act and Environmental Protection Agency regulations, tribes may decide to take different approaches to water protection. Likewise, even when a tribe participates in the federal Clean Water Act system, the basic building block is still a tribal program, designed by tribal staff and adopted under tribal law.

To access the guidebook, please click HERE.

NTWC Guidebook Webinar Video NTWC's Webinar Video on "Guidebook for Developing Tribal Water Quality Standards"

Watch Video


NTWC CWA Section 401 NTWC's Webinar Video on "Final 2023 CWA Section 401 Water Quality Certification Improvement Rule"

Watch Video

Webinar Resources:

Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Water Quality Certification Ordinance, (Click HERE.)
Hoopa Valley Tribe Surface Discharge Protection Ordinance, (Click HERE.)





The National Tribal Water Council is funded through a grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water and administered by the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals at Northern Arizona University.

Contact Us


National Tribal Water Council (NTWC)
PO Box 15004
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5004
NTWC's 2023/2024 Tribal Water Priorities [pdf]
NTWC Fact Sheet [pdf]
NTWC Brochure [pdf]
NTWC Video
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