Danielle Dewey's Article Summary Post #1

In his article "Indians' Water Rights Give Hope for Better Health" Randal C. Archibold writes about the lack of farming due to water being stopped further up stream, which caused a drought, and led to a rise in obesity on the reservation. The irrigation completion project and the billions of gallons of water will bring more farming to the Gila River Indian Community. A founder of the garden for the community, Ed Menoza states "Okra makes you healthy. You can eat this food and feel the spirit immediately". The drought led to the tribes diet increasing sugars and the lack of exercise from farming to a higher obesity rate then it was a century ago. The Coolidge Dam was constructed and left the Salt River depleted and the reservation slowly dried up with the lack of water. The Gila River Indians' were award 653,500 acre-feet of water a year in a federal agreement that took 30 years to reach. The federal agreement brings hope to the tribe to regain farming and health for the next generation.












http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/us/31diabetes.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0