WRRC Hosts GRIC Water History Book Event
Image courtesy of: David H. DeJong, PhD
Last Friday, February 7, 2025, the WRRC hosted a hybrid author talk and book signing event featuring Pima-Maricopa Irrigation Project Director David DeJong’s latest book, Damming the Gila: The Gila River Indian Community and the San Carlos Irrigation Project, 1900–1942. Released in 2024, this is the third book of a planned five-volume series by DeJong focusing on the Gila River Indian Community’s water history. Damming the Gila examines the shortcomings of the San Carlos Irrigation Project (SCIP) and Gila Decree, which failed to preserve the agricultural economy of Tribal farmers. In this book, DeJong also describes the efforts of advocates, such as Carl Hayden, to include Tribal voices in discussions on upstream diversion of Gila River waters.
DeJong holds an MA and PhD in American Indian Law and Policy from the University of Arizona. He joined the Pima-Maricopa Irrigation Project in 2001 and has served as its director since 2006. The first book of the series, Stealing the Gila: The Pima Agricultural Economy and Water Deprivation, 1848–1921, is based on DeJong’s dissertation work. During his presentation, DeJong described reading archives on water law and Tribal history as his personal outlet and said he planned to release the remaining two books of the Gila River series prior to his retirement.