Land
The Fort Mojave Indian Reservation contains 21,950 acres in Arizona, 6,976 acres in California,3,787 acres in Nevada for a Reservation total of 32,713 acres. The Reservation is centered in the historic flood plain of the Colorado River but does include parts of the benched desert lands on both sides.
Climate
The climate is typical of the lower Colorado River valleys, The average annual rainfall is four inches, normally about evenly split between gentle winter rains from Pacific storms and heavier storms in August/September from tropical origins. Average January temperatures are a high in the mid-60s and a low in the mid-30s. Hard frosts are common and the yearly low is usually in the lower 20’s. The record low at the Tribe’s weather station was 17° set on January 14, 2007.
July and August are normally the hottest months but very extreme temperatures have occurred in June. The average mid-summer high is 107 with periods in the mid-teens common, Summer lows average in the high 70s on the valley floor with the benches about 10 degrees warmer. The record high was 122° set June 24, 1994
Agriculture
Approximately half of the Reservation is devoted to intensively farmed, irrigated agriculture. The crops produced vary from year to year depending on market conditions but upland cotton and alfalfa hay are the dominant crops. Typically the following is produced.
| Crops | Acres | Yield | Value | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upland Cotton | 6,000 | |||
| Fiber | 1250lbs/A | $6,000,000 | Exported to Pacific Rim | |
| Seed | 1 1/5 T/A | 2,250,000 | Planting seed / Cattle feed | |
| Alfalfa Hay | 6,000 | 7Tons/A | 8,000,000 | Area dairies, 250 m radius |
| Bermuda Seed | 1,000 | 500lbs/A | 1,000,000 | Contracted for U.S. Market |
Sudan, okra seed, wheat, barley, milo, grain hay and other hays are also produced. Typically the grow out facility feeds 4,000 head of beef cattle and 10,000 head of sheep are winter pastured here.
Water Resources
The 1964 US Supreme Court’s Arizona v California Decree gave the Tribe the undisputed right to divert 103,535 acre feet of Colorado River water in Arizona, 16,720 acre feet in California and 12,534 acre feet in Nevada. The Tribe has no claim to any of its entitlement that it fails to divert.
For further information, contact us at (928) 346-1606 or (928) 716-0990. Fax (928) 346-1610