| GRACE BULLTAIL (Crow Tribe), Assistant Professor, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison

| PARISA SARZAEIM, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The water resources management on tribal lands in the U.S. is a complicated issue hindered by a lack of high-quality and easy-accessible databases. The FAIR data principles were established and promoted to develop and improve databases to be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable by other researchers. This study aims to evaluate the availability and discoverability of spatiotemporal water-related databases on tribal lands following the FAIR data principles. A FAIRness assessment of available Indigenous water-related databases can significantly advance research in this field, support the sustainable management of Indigenous water resources, and contribute to environmental justice for tribal communities. In this research, we have listed and reviewed multiple public Indigenous water-related databases and associated metadata, including but not limited to Native Climate, Native Land Information System, and Native Nations Institute. We evaluated them in terms of each element of FAIR data principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability), generated the state and tribal regions maps that they covered in the U.S., and recommended specific actions for FAIRification. Our preliminary findings based on an analysis of the U.S. tribal water-related databases and initiatives highlight the tremendous efforts for developing Indigenous water quality and quantity databases. However, additional FAIRification steps are required to standardize these databases for the benefit of water resources scientists and research.