Water has shaped the identity, livelihoods and governance of the Yaqui Indigenous people in northern Mexico for centuries. Today, the Yaqui River faces mounting pressure as drought intensifies, pollution persists and water is increasingly diverted to agriculture and cities. In this award-winning series, staff writer Aimee Gabay explores how climate change is sharpening long-standing disputes over water allocation and why rulings recognizing Yaqui water rights haven’t been translated into meaningful change. The reporting examines how reduced river flows affect public health, food production and cultural continuity, and how gaps in scientific research, legal enforcement and water governance continue to shape the future of the Yaqui River Basin.
