Largest single land back deal will advance tribal water quality projects
Source: State Water Board
July 24, 2026
SACRAMENTO –The State Water Resources Control Board adopted a resolution to fund the second largest tribal “land back” deal in California’s history, providing the Quartz Valley Indian Reservation with the means to acquire ancestral lands, restore critical salmon habitat and protect water quality across nearly 40,000 acres within the Klamath River Basin.
“The return of the Scott River Headwaters Project lands to the Quartz Valley Indian Reservation marks a truly historic moment for our people, our neighbors, and the entire Scott River watershed,” said Quartz Valley Chairman Leonard Lincoln. “There is immense work ahead to heal these lands, and we are excited, determined, and ready to begin.” (Full statement below).
Quartz Valley’s planned land purchase is the second largest in the state in terms of acreage and is the largest land back deal in the country to occur in a single transaction.
“I welcome the State Water Board’s support for this land back deal with the Quartz Valley Indian Reservation, which acknowledges their deep connection to this land and makes it possible for them to advance nature-based solutions to protect the Scott River,” said Secretary for Environmental Protection Yana Garcia. “California continues to work closely with tribal nations to protect the air, land and water we rely on. This decision by the board is another example of how state-Tribal partnerships are restoring cultural practices, applying Traditional Ecological Knowledge and protecting water quality for future generations.”
The State Water Board is providing a zero-interest, $25 million loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to fund the Quartz Valley Indian Reservation’s purchase and support Quartz Valley’s efforts to create a salmon sanctuary, protect water quality and restore cultural practices. The territory being purchased borders the reservation and encompasses the headwaters of tributaries to the Scott River in Siskiyou County.
Quartz Valley is planning a variety of projects to reduce temperatures and minimize fine sediment discharges in the Scott River, both of which are high priorities for the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. The Tribe also intends to decommission roads, preserve shade-providing vegetation and control erosion, activities that align with regional board programs to reduce pollution.
“The State Water Board is confident that the Scott River watershed and everyone who depends on it will benefit greatly from the Quartz Valley Indian Reservation’s stewardship of this land, which is part of their ancestral home,” said State Water Board Chair E. Joaquin Esquivel. “With this purchase, Quartz Valley can integrate Traditional Ecological Knowledge fully into the restoration and protection of the watershed, which contains critical habitat for endangered salmon and other native fish. We are thankful the Quartz Valley, the Trust for Public Land, board staff and other partners for working collaboratively toward this goal.”
To date, the State Water Board has invested over $44 million in tribal land projects through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. The state’s largest tribal land back deal was completed last year with the Yurok Tribe’s purchase of 47,000 acres in the Klamath River Basin. The board also supported this land back deal with a zero-interest, $18.75 million loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. The purchase occurred across several transactions.
Over the last year and a half, the State Water Board’s Office of Public Engagement, Equity and Tribal Affairs, and the Division of Financial Assistance worked extensively with Quartz Valley and various agencies to address complex legal issues, define roles and responsibilities regarding the property and determine that the loan will be repaid through revenues generated from existing carbon sequestration projects on the acquired land.
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund is a federal-state partnership that provides low-cost financing for a wide variety of water quality projects, primarily wastewater and water recycling infrastructure projects. The board administers the state revolving fund for California and provides low-interest loans at half of the general obligation bond rate, typically around 2% percent. For Quartz Valley’s land purchase, the board made an exception to this policy and agreed to zero interest, which will secure savings of at least $11 million for the Tribe over the loan’s 30-year repayment term.
Full statement by Quartz Valley Indian Reservation Tribal Chairman Leonard Lincoln:
The return of the Scott River Headwaters Project lands to the Quartz Valley Indian Reservation marks a truly historic moment for our people, our neighbors, and the entire Scott River watershed. For a Tribe that was once terminated and subsequently confined to just 200 acres, reclaiming nearly 40,000 acres of our ancestral territory is a monumental victory that secures our sovereignty and our people’s future.
These lands have been woven into our story since time immemorial. Fulfilling this long-held vision honors our ancestors and ensures that future generations will inherit not just stories, but actual homelands where they can practice our culture, hunt, and fish on our own land.
We are deeply grateful for the crucial partnerships that brought this project to fruition. The support of the State of California — specifically through the State Water Board’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund — and the Trust for Public Land has been vital in making this acquisition possible.
The Tribe intends to deeply steward this land, healing and restoring it for generations to come. By blending modern conservation with Tradition Ecological Knowledge (TEK), we will implement vital restoration practices including:
- Cultural burning to restore forest health and resilience.
- The protection and revitalization of native plants.
- The restoration of critical wetlands to support healthy watersheds and resilient salmon populations.
This work benefits not only our people, but downstream Klamath Basin communities, wildlife, and the salmon returning to their spawning grounds. There is immense work ahead to heal these lands, and we are excited, determined, and ready to begin.
The State Water Board’s mission is to preserve, enhance and restore the quality of California’s water resources and drinking water for the protection of the environment, public health and all beneficial uses, and to ensure proper resource allocation and efficient use for present and future generations.
