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Jon Kyl Dies at 84, Helped Secure Gila Water Rights

By Drooid · Sep 17, 2026, 11:18 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Former U.S. Senator Jon Kyl died at age 84 from complications of a neurological disease on Wednesday.
Kyl authored the 2004 Arizona Water Settlements Act, securing water rights for the Gila River Indian Community.
The act also amended the Southern Arizona Water Rights Settlement Act.
Kyl was diagnosed with dementia in December 2025 and withdrew from public life then.

History

Historical Context

By the 1950s Arizona pumped water at rates 500 times natural recharge, prompting Congress to pass the 1968 Colorado River Basin Project Act that created the Central Arizona Project, completed in 1993. Building on that framework, the 2004 Arizona Water Settlements Act granted the Gila River Indian Community 1.5 million acre-feet and $1.2 billion, authored by former Senator Jon Kyl.

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Story summary

Former U.S. Senator Jon Kyl died at age 84 from complications of a neurological disease on Wednesday.
Kyl authored the 2004 Arizona Water Settlements Act, securing water rights for the Gila River Indian Community.
The act also amended the Southern Arizona Water Rights Settlement Act.
Kyl was diagnosed with dementia in December 2025 and withdrew from public life then.

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