September 10, 2026 4:53 pm
CRIT Nation, Parker, AZ
September 10, 2026 4:53 pm
CRIT Nation, Parker, AZ
Happy Birthday to our very own Ariana Romero! She has been flourishing in the Media Department of CRIT going to all the fun events in the community, writing articles, and becoming quite the photographer! Ariana has been a great proactive reporter providing insightful ideas on what the next story should be and how we can best showcase the wonderful CRIT Community. We are lucky to have her on our team and we wish her a wonderful birthday.
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
Aerocare Global Medical Response Solutions in partnership with the Colorado River Indian Tribes unveiled their new Education Center at the Avi Suquilla airport on Thursday January 23rd.
The program uses two helicopters and one fixed wing airplane.
These aircraft will provide lifesaving flights for patients in emergency situations as well as providing staff with hands-on training during their down time.
“The Clinical Education Center will be a space for EMS professionals and agencies from throughout the area to maintain, improve and test their clinical care skills,” said Jim Hiatt, program director at Aerocare. “This resource provides an established space dedicated to improving the emergency medical care and outcomes for the community members of Parker and the surrounding areas.”
At the ribbon cutting, Aerocare thanked the Colorado River Indian Tribes, The Town of Parker , and the staff at the Avi Suquilla Airport. (more…)
CRIT Chairwoman Amelia Flores delivered a message emphasizing water rights and tribal sovereignty as one of three tribal leaders who addressed the Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day January 15th at the Arizona State Senate Chambers. It was the event’s 30th year.
Chairwoman Flores said this is a critical time for the Colorado River, “The decisions we make about how we share and use this living resource will directly impact our children and our grandchildren.”
As climate change, population growth, and drought impact the Colorado River, Chairwoman Flores told the gathering of tribal leaders and Arizona lawmakers, “My Tribe is engaged in a great struggle, not just to project our great river but to protect the very essence of our identity.”
Flores thanked Arizona lawmakers for their support in federal legislation that gave CRIT the authority to allow for the use of its water off reservation land, if CRIT chooses to do so.
Flores said the CRIT Water Resiliency Act gives CRIT control as to how, where, and when its water is used. But she says the fight isn’t over, “Despite the passage of our Act, our water rights continue to be under attack. But rest assured, CRIT will protect our water rights. We always have and we always will.” (more…)
The Colorado River Indian Tribes applauds President Biden’s decision to designate more than 624,000 acres in California to create the Chuckwalla National Monument. The monument would span south of Joshua Tree National Park and north of Interstate 10 across to the Colorado River. The designation will protect the Chuckwalla from mining, drilling and logging.
“The Colorado River Indian Tribes celebrates the permanent and long-term protection of ancestral lands and the cultural landscape through the designation of the Chuckwalla National Monument,” said Amelia Flores, Chairwoman of the Colorado River Indian Tribes. “CRIT has worked tirelessly to preserve and protect water, resources, and sacred sites. This designation clearly affirms CRIT’s spiritual, cultural, and ancestral connection to these lands.”
CRIT sent a delegation of Tribal Members including Tribal Council Secretary Josephine Tahbo and Councilwoman Tracey Quillen and representatives from the Mohave Elders Committee to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday January 4th when President Biden signed and designated the Chuckwalla lands. In April, an 800,000-signature petition was presented to President Joe Biden and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in support of the designation.
The Parker 400, one of the biggest events in off-road racing, has arrived hosting more than 300 competing teams from around the world to the CRIT reservation and the Parker area.
The Qualifying & The Downtown Experience took place Thursday January 16,2025 (hosted on Joshua Avenue in parker Arizona) and showcases some of the best and fastest vehicles in the race circuit.
The high-octane race stretches over a challenging 400-mile course. The start of the race began today Friday January 17 with the motorcycle race at 7:30 AM at the CRIT Gauntlet followed by the Limited Race. Additional races are taking place through Saturday.
Click here for more information.
Tickets are also available at the main entrance.
Under the management of the Martelli Brothers, the Parker 400 continues to honor the legacy of off-road racing, celebrating the rugged beauty of the Arizona desert and the ferocity of racers who take on the challenges of its terrain.
TUCSON, Ariz. — The University of Arizona will host a special series of sign unveiling ceremonies on Friday, September 4, 2026, honoring the four languages of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT): Mohave, Chemehuevi, Hopi, & Navajo. These ceremonies represent an important milestone in an ongoing campus-wide initiative to elevate the visibility, recognition, and continued presence of Indigenous languages and cultural heritage within the campus community.
The events are organized by the University of Arizona’s Office of Native American Advancement & Tribal Engagement (NAATE) in collaboration with individual academic colleges. Students, faculty, staff, tribal community members, and the general public are invited to attend the progression of ceremonies throughout the day.
The schedule for the Friday ceremonies includes:
The celebration of Indigenous culture continues into the weekend with the Native American Heritage Game on Saturday, September 5, 2026. The Arizona Wildcats will face Northern Arizona at Casino Del Sol Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 6:30 PM MST. Pre-game festivities at Bear Down Field will begin at 3:15 PM with the Bear Down Bash, featuring 18-minute cultural performances from each tribe. A traditional gift presentation will follow during the Wildcat Walk at 4:15 PM, leading up to an on-field tribal recognition ceremony during the second quarter of the football game.
For more operational schedules or to register for the unveiling events, please visit the official University of Arizona Event Page.
