Follow the links to download.
January 14, 2026 7:56 pm
CRIT Nation, Parker, AZ
January 14, 2026 7:56 pm
CRIT Nation, Parker, AZ
By Ariana Romero
Reporter, CRIT Media
As 2025 comes to a close, new reporting shows Colorado River negotiations narrowing toward what many leaders describe as a final window for agreement, while local water solutions and long-term risks continue to take shape across the Southwest.
ABC15 Arizona reports that Colorado River states may only have one last realistic chance to reach a deal before federal intervention becomes unavoidable. With existing guidelines set to expire and reservoir conditions still fragile, officials warn that failure to compromise soon could lead to decisions being imposed rather than negotiated.
CBS 5 Arizona’s Family highlights what is at stake specifically for Arizona as talks drag on. The report notes that unresolved negotiations could affect everything from water deliveries to long-term planning for cities, tribes, agriculture, and industry, reinforcing why Arizona leaders are under pressure to help move talks forward.
Several opinion pieces stress the need for compromise in the Upper Basin. Phys.org and the Imperial Valley Press argue that without meaningful concessions, negotiations risk collapse, deepening divisions among states and prolonging uncertainty across the Basin.
At the local level, attention turned to Rio Verde Foothills, a community that famously ran out of water. The Arizona Republic, CBS 5, and AZ Big Media report that a permanent water solution has now been secured, ending years of uncertainty. However, the Arizona Republic notes that questions remain about the long-term cost of that solution, underscoring the financial realities of securing water in unregulated areas.
Water policy and development pressures remain closely linked. The Daily Independent reports that Valley water officials are urging legislators to invest more heavily in water resources, while opinion pieces from Nevada question whether the continued expansion of data centers is compatible with long-term water sustainability.
Conditions on the river itself remain mixed. Newsweek reports on how Lake Mead’s water levels changed throughout 2025, showing modest gains at times but continued overall vulnerability. Meanwhile, CBS News warns that Colorado is facing its worst snowpack on record for this point in the season, a troubling signal for future Colorado River flows, though experts say late-season storms could still offer some relief.
Despite tensions, collaboration remains a recurring theme. An opinion from the University of Colorado Boulder notes that Colorado River discussions continue to bring together unlikely partners through forums like the Colorado River Water Users Association, even as disagreements persist. Another Colorado Sun opinion stresses that public access to rivers and responsible stewardship must remain part of broader water policy discussions.
Together, these reports show a Basin approaching a crossroads. With negotiations nearing a critical moment, local water fixes highlighting real costs, and climate signals raising alarm, decisions made in the months ahead will play a major role in shaping the future of the Colorado River.
Sources
As the year comes to a close, new reporting underscores how unresolved negotiations, worsening climate impacts, and continued growth are colliding across the Colorado River Basin.
The Lake Havasu News-Herald reports that federal officials are demanding compromise from Basin states as water shortages deepen. Despite repeated warnings, states remain divided, prompting stronger signals that the federal government may intervene if agreements are not reached soon.
Several opinion pieces question long-held assumptions about water security. The Sun City Independent argues that Arizona’s promise of “assured” water is increasingly disconnected from reality, while national commentary emphasizes that decades of overuse and delayed action have left little room for error.
Weather extremes continued to dominate headlines. The Los Angeles Times reports that Southern California experienced its wettest Christmas holiday on record, highlighting the growing drought-to-deluge cycle driven by climate change. Despite heavy rain in some areas, drought conditions persist elsewhere, according to California and national drought summaries. In Colorado, the Denver Gazette reports snowpack levels are at the lowest ever recorded for this point in the season, raising serious concerns for future Colorado River flows.
Local and regional responses remain mixed. The Payson Roundup reports progress on water system improvements in Star Valley and a brief return to normal rainfall in Payson, though officials caution that short-term relief does not change long-term conditions. In Nevada, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that rapid growth in Las Vegas is continuing despite the Colorado River crisis, intensifying concerns about sustainability.
Across the Basin, journalists and experts reflected on the year’s biggest water stories. Aspen Journalism and Aspen Public Radio highlight how climate change is worsening drought conditions and pushing leaders toward difficult decisions in 2026. National Parks Traveler reports that declining Colorado River flows are already affecting national park sites along the river, signaling broader environmental consequences.
Some coverage points toward potential paths forward. Fox 13 in Utah explores ideas aimed at easing water conflicts, while opinion pieces emphasize the need for compromise among Upper Basin states. The Sierra Club highlights how Indigenous knowledge and stewardship can play a key role in adapting to climate change and managing water more sustainably.
The Colorado River Indian Tribes Tribal Council has made a historic decision to protect the lifeblood of their Reservation. On November 6, 2025, the Council unanimously approved Resolution No. R-375-25, which proclaims the personhood status of the Colorado River under tribal law.
This resolution acknowledges the Colorado River as a living entity whose health and well-being are intrinsically linked to the well-being of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) members. The Tribes’ deep-rooted connection to the river spans centuries, providing cultural identity, spiritual strength, food systems, and economic stability that continue to shape their community life today.
The resolution emphasizes the central role the river has played in defining the identity of the CRIT. It highlights that CRIT’s ancestors have preserved and protected these lands since before the establishment of the Colorado River Indian Reservation in 1865.
The Council underscores the crucial role the river plays in sustaining traditional practices, wildlife, and agriculture, including the federal irrigation systems authorized as early as 1867. Today, the Colorado River Indian Irrigation Project stands as a cornerstone of the tribal economy.
The resolution underscores significant legal milestones that acknowledged CRIT’s water rights. In the landmark 1964 and 2006 Arizona v. California U.S. Supreme Court decisions, the Tribes secured 719,248 acre-feet of water annually, ensuring their access to the river for generations to come.
By granting personhood to the River, the Tribal Council reaffirmed its sovereign duty to honor and protect it. This status mandates that the River’s well-being must be a priority in governance and decision-making moving forward.
As part of the resolution, the Attorney General and their staff will develop legal safeguards and propose updates to the CRIT Water Code and other relevant regulations. These updates may include the potential designation of the river as a protected cultural landscape.
Council members recognized that protecting the river is not merely a legal obligation but a continuation of cultural beliefs passed down through generations.
Through this declaration, CRIT demonstrates its unwavering commitment to stewardship. The resolution concludes with a resolute message: the Colorado River is, and will always remain, a vital entity deserving of respect, care, and protection for all future generations.
Article Written by CRIT Media Reporter Ariana Romero
News Update November 12, 2025
Negotiations over the future of the Colorado River have reached a standstill after all seven basin states failed to meet a key federal deadline. Reports from 12News and 8NewsNow confirm that the states were unable to agree on a new water-sharing plan, leaving the situation unresolved as the river continues to decline.
High Country News explains that the biggest disagreements involve how much each state should give up in the future. The upper Basin states want fewer mandatory reductions, while the Lower Basin states, including Arizona, say they have already taken the deepest cuts and cannot continue to absorb the majority of the impacts.
With no agreement in place, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has asked the Trump administration to intervene. She stated that Arizona has made significant sacrifices and cannot carry the weight of the reductions while other states refuse to commit to measurable cuts. If the states cannot reach a plan soon, the federal government may create one for them.
For the Colorado River Indian Tribes, the outcome of these negotiations has major importance. CRIT holds valuable senior water rights and relies on a stable and fair management plan to ensure long-term security for the community and the region.
For more information, you can read the news articles with the links below.
High Country News
https://www.hcn.org/articles/why-colorado-river-negotiations-are-so-difficult/
12 News
/wednesday-is-deadline-for-7-state-including-arizona-to-negotiate-the-colorado-river
The Tribal Council for the Colorado River Indian Tribes has approved a new water code that both affirms tribal sovereignty over its water while protecting the life of the Colorado River.
Before the Tribal Council vote, there was a series of meetings with Tribal Membership in both Parker and in Phoenix where Tribal members provided their thoughts regarding the language of the final code.
These meetings with Tribal Membership provide Tribal Council with valuable insight in creating the Water Code.
The Code is a comprehensive legal framework to govern the use, protection, and
management of all water resources on the Reservation. It affirms the Colorado River Indian Tribes’ sovereign authority over water, ensures sustainable development, and protects the cultural, spiritual, and economic interests of the Tribes and their members.
Passage of the Water Code paves the way for economic opportunities for CRIT while protecting cultural and environmental values.
The Water Code protects CRIT’s full ownership and control of its water. It creates a fair, transparent system for water use and the potential of off reservation leasing of CRIT’s water resources. It ensures that all decisions are made by CRIT. (more…)
The Colorado River is not just a water source for the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT); it is the foundation of life, culture, and survival on the Reservation. It sustains farms and families, supports wildlife, and holds deep cultural and spiritual meaning for the Tribes who have lived along its banks for generations. For CRIT, decisions about the river are not abstract policy debates, they directly affect the Tribe’s ability to live, govern, and prosper for future generations.
That reality framed a series of high-level meetings held alongside the Colorado River Water Users Association (CRWUA) Conference, where CRIT was represented by a unified and prepared delegation consisting of Tribal Council, legal counsel, the CRIT Attorney General’s Office, Public Affairs, and the Tribe’s Washington, D.C. and Phoenix lobbying teams, all actively engaged in advancing and defending CRIT’s water rights and sovereignty.
This delegation engaged in multiple meetings with neighboring tribes, federal agencies, state representatives, and regional water districts. As the Colorado River Basin approaches major changes after 2026, these discussions focused on the future of the river, tribal water rights, and CRIT’s role as a sovereign water authority.
At the center of these discussions was a clear and unwavering position from CRIT: the Tribe’s senior water rights, tribal sovereignty, and responsibility to protect the Colorado River are not negotiable. CRIT Deputy Attorney General Travis Nez explained that the Tribe is expanding its agricultural footprint by investing in and growing farming operations on the Reservation. This ensures that the Tribe’s water is put to use on tribal lands to generate the greatest possible economic benefit for the community. While many water users across the Basin are reducing agricultural use, CRIT is intentionally increasing on-reservation water use to reclaim water that has historically gone unused and to convert it into long-term economic benefits for the Tribe.
CRIT leadership and the Tribe is fully cognizant that neighboring and downstream entities have economically benefited for decades from CRIT’s unused Colorado River allocation. This includes large regional water agencies such as the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Their Colorado River Aqueduct diverts water at Lake Havasu upstream of the CRIT Reservation, supporting municipal growth and generating substantial economic value. Simultaneously, CRIT’s own ability to fully use its water has long been constrained by outdated irrigation infrastructure constructed and controlled by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). (more…)
When people talk about climate change, it can sound political or exaggerated, but at its core, it’s about environmental changes we can measure over time. Scientists like Brad Udall, who studies long-term weather patterns, have found that the Earth’s average temperature has risen slightly over the past century, mostly because of how people consume energy. When coal, gas, or oil is burned, it releases gases that trap more heat in the atmosphere, like a blanket wrapped around the planet. Despite whether someone believes it is man-made or not, climate change forces us to pay attention, and develop methods to protect the land and water that sustain us.
On Monday, September 29th, Udall, an internationally recognized scientist on water and climate change from Colorado State University, visited the Colorado River Indian Reservation to share his latest findings on the Colorado River. He spoke with Tribal leaders about what the future may hold.
Udall is known for his research on the connection between climate change and river systems in the American West. He has spent decades studying how heat, drought, and rainfall affect water levels, especially in the Colorado River Basin. Additionally, Udall co-wrote parts of the U.S. National Climate Assessment, and has testified before the United States Congress about the effects of climate change on western water supplies. His work focuses on researching solutions that balance the needs of people, agriculture, and the environment.
When Udall met with Tribal leadership at the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) Council Chambers, he was greeted by Chairwoman Amelia Flores, Councilwoman Vanessa Welch, CRIT Attorney General Rebecca Loudbear, CRIT Water Resources Director Dillion Esquerra, CRIT Realty Commercial Manager Herman “TJ” Lafoon Jr., and CRIT Lead Water Attorney John Bezdek.
During his presentation, Udall explained that flows in the Colorado River have dropped about 20% since the year 2000, and that precipitation – the rain and snow that feed the river – is also down about 20%. He said several studies have found that this isn’t just a temporary drought, but a long-term trend he believes is caused largely by human-driven climate change. Temperatures are rising across the Southwest, and according to Udall, “We are now on target for 3 degrees Celsius of warming by the year 2100.” Udall reiterated that his studies show this increase in temperatures is based on an average of estimates, and that temperatures in certain areas, including the desert southwest, could see higher increases.
Udall described the situation as serious and with little optimism. He shared that some scientists are exploring ideas like adding sulfur dioxide to the atmosphere to help cool the planet, though he said most researchers are cautious about such steps because they involve more human interference in nature. “It’s not a perfect solution,” he explained, “but it shows how far people are thinking about how to slow down the warming.” Councilwoman Vanessa Welsh was thankful for Udall’s frankness about the situation stating, “Many of us do know this, but we don’t hear it very often…We intend to protect the river as one of our own.” (more…)
The Department of Revenue and Finance Welcomes Director
The Colorado River Indian Tribes is pleased to welcome Andrew Quillen as the new Director of the Revenue and Finance Department.
Mr. Quillen is a CRIT tribal member who was born and raised in the community. He brings both professional experience and a deep personal connection to the reservation into his new leadership role. He has worked for the Tribes for the past three years and has steadily grown within the department.
Mr. Quillen earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration with a concentration in management from the University of La Verne. Upon returning to Parker, he began his career with the Tribes as a tax examiner and revenue agent. He quickly found that the work aligned with his long-standing interest in business, compliance, and economic development.
When the former Revenue and Finance Director was elected to Tribal Council, Mr. Quillen felt it was the right time to step forward and continue the work the department had already established. His background in sales, service, and compliance has helped shape his understanding of how the department supports businesses and the community as a whole.
As a lifelong community member, Mr. Quillen understands the economic landscape of the reservation and the opportunities for growth. One of his personal goals is to see more tribal members become business owners. Being part of the reservation’s continued development is something that holds special meaning for him. (more…)
