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Barona Band of Mission Indians

Barona Band of Mission Indians Earns Honors for Water Resource Management  Program

The Barona Band of Mission Indians has had a reverence for the environment that spans thousands of years. The San Diego area tribe continues that tradition today, working diligently to protect and conserve all natural resources on its reservation, earning local and national acclaim for its water resources management and environmental conservation efforts.

Most recently, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) honored the tribe at the 2007 National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards.  Barona earned a second place honor in the Small Advanced Plant category for its water reclamation and wastewater treatment facilities.  The state-of-the-art system allows the Tribe to save and reuse nearly every drop of water run off at its Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino and Barona Creek Golf Club.  Water and moisture are collected from every available source, including early morning dew, sinks, toilets, kitchen facilities, bathtubs and showers, even condensation from air conditioning units.

“This award is extremely meaningful to the Barona Tribe,” said Councilman Adam Reyes of the Barona Band of Mission Indians.  “We have always been extremely committed to upholding our ancestors’ respect for nature by implementing the most effective water, energy and resource conservation programs possible throughout the Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino.”

All the water collected at Barona is cleaned at the water reclamation plant using pioneering scientific processes, with ultraviolet as the disinfection agent, then funneled to a series of retention ponds via an aqueduct, using a combination of gravity and pumps. Barona’s ponds, including those on the resort’s golf course allow the tribe to be completely self sufficient for its water needs throughout the year. 

Throughout the Barona property, sprinkler heads are individually controlled to ensure each area receives only the amount of water needed and no more. An on-site weather station is used to track daily environmental conditions, allowing staff to fine-tune water distribution.

But water conservation and reclamation is only half the story. Barona believes that water resource management and environmental conservation go hand in hand. To that end, the tribe is dedicated to preserving and enhancing wildlife habitat throughout the Barona Valley, which is home to a wide variety of wildlife. Lakes and streambeds provide ideal nesting areas for a number of birds, and these areas are identified and protected from equipment and foot traffic.  To minimize the use of chemicals, weeds are pulled by hand and soap is used to rid plants of insects.

Barona’s conservation efforts have been recognized by a variety of local and national organizations. The resort has received the San Diego Earthworks Earth Award for water resource management practices, and two SANDAG Diamond Awards for its commuter programs. Barona Creek Golf Club has received an Audubon International Bronze Signature Sanctuary Certification for its environmental sustainability practices, as well as the Environmental Leaders in Golf Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and Golf Digest, for its commitment to environmental stewardship.

In speaking about Barona’s environmental efforts at the Barona Creek Golf Club, Audubon International Signature Program Director Nancy Richardson said, “It is a testament to the commitment of the Barona Band of Mission Indians to protect and preserve our precious natural resources while providing facilities that people want and need.”