About GPTWA

The Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance is a certified 501(c) non-profit organization. It serves as an advisory committee to the Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association on all matters with regard to technical and policy issues regarding the water resources of member Tribal Nations. GPTWA was founded in 2006 and was reorganized in 2013. 

GPTWA visits CU Boulder to visit the North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center (NC CASC).

Top Left: Imtiaz Rangwala, Doug Crow Ghost, Robin O' Malley, Syed Huq, Brian Johnson, Aparna Bamzai-Dodson, Kyle White, Heather Yocum

Bottom Left: Stefan Tangen, Jennifer Balch, Elizabeth Wakeman, James Rattling Leaf, Sr.

GPTWA meeting with Great Plains Tribal Chairman's Association located at Wakpa Sica Reconciliation Place in Fort Pierre, SD.

From Left: Reno Red Cloud, Syed Huq, Doug Crow Ghost, Elizabeth Wakeman

 
 

Mission Statement

To protect the sovereignty of the Great Plains Tribes through preservation of water rights for the people and future generations.

Vision

Our sacred obligation is to preserve, protect, and manage water for current and future generations.

Goals

  1. Provide Policy Recommendations to the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Association.

  2. Provide Technical Support on all water issues in the Great Plains.

Background

The Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance is the original founding coalition for preserving the prior paramount, reserved water rights of the Missouri River under aboriginal title, the 1851 Fort Laramie Treaty and the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty, and other judicially established territories in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska.

The Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance was established in 2006 by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, and Rosebud Sioux Tribe, and now includes Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe as well as other Tribal Nations in the Great Plains Region, as a public outreach, research and education organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of Great Sioux Nation Indian Winter’s Rights to the use of water in the Missouri River, tributaries and all aquifers and ground water sources located within the exterior boundaries of the Great Plains Region.  As its sacred obligation, the Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance will provide technical and policy recommendations for the protection of all water resources for the next 7 generations.  

​The Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance also protects the Native America cultural and funerary items along the banks of the Missouri River and its tributaries, resulting from stream flows and lake levels changes due to the management actions of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of the main stem dams.

History

September 2006 – GPTWA officially organized by 3 Tribes:

  • Oglala Sioux Tribe 

  • Rosebud Sioux Tribe

  • Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

November 2013 – Reorganized, recognizing new members and election of officers.

December 2014 – Amended By-laws to add Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe

July 2021 - Lower Brule Sioux Tribe added as an official member

April 2023 - Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe added as an official member

October 2023 - Yankton Sioux Tribe added as an official member