Ryan Barton emphasizes the importance of collaboration and negotiation in solving water issues and bringing resilient water systems to the Navajo Nation. As a hydrologist working for the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources, Ryan has been involved in projects for over a decade including hydrographic surveys, lake capacity studies, and the San Juan River Basin Crop Inventory. Science Moab talks with Ryan about his most recent and ongoing efforts to successfully provide drinking water to the Westwater community west of Blanding, UT through extensive collaboration among various entities. Ryan’s path into hydrology has been influenced by family and childhood experiences of nature conservation.