September 10, 2026 4:01 pm
CRIT Nation, Parker, AZ
September 10, 2026 4:01 pm
CRIT Nation, Parker, AZ
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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
We want to acknowledge everyone’s hard work with making the PIRA Play Day a success on November 30, 2024, and if we have missed anyone in this thank you, please accept our sincere gratitude.
Ace Hardware, Ahakhav Tribal Preserve, Bingham Equipment, CRIT Farms, CRIT Fire, CRIT HeadStart, CRIT Pow Wow Committee, Early Bird Coffee Shop, Keyah Farms, LaPiazza Pizza, Parker FFA, River Septic, Torres Farms, USA Gas, Safeway and Walmart.
Angie Naranjo, Anthony Rothacher, Beverly Hill, Bruno Carmona, Chris Hill, Erica Daniels, Fabian Castro, Fernando Lugo, Flora Geionety, Giovani Marmoleo, Joe Martinez, John Nelson, Nick Alcaida, Rae Daniels, and Samantha Humeumptewa.
The members of the Parker Indian Rodeo Association: Jimmy Alcaida, Micah Gonzales, Calvin Ray, Belinda Ray, Becky Haley, Bonnie Welty, Eben Pangan, Emmanuel Munoz, Justin (Red) Carmona, Kristian Nopah, Pam Hanson, and Todd Haley.
Lastly, the parents that brought their kids to the event. PIRA would not have had such a success without the kids! THANK YOU!
Parker, Arizona. — Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) Tribal Council announced a major investment in the Tribe’s farming businesses today following a landmark agreement by the Tribe to secure access to financial capital. Under the terms of the agreement, the Tribe’s existing enterprise, CRIT Farms, will transform into ‘Amat Kuhwely, with an investment of $23 million in the coming years to upgrade and expand CRIT’s farming operation through optimization of the operation, and improving water use efficiency on the Farm.
“CRIT Farms has been the anchor of our agricultural economy and this investment empowers a great economic development opportunity for our Tribe,” said Amelia Flores, Chairwoman of the Colorado River Indian Tribes. “CRIT’s members have told us that they want the most efficient, effectively run enterprises, and today’s announcement is a big step in that direction, as we grow our farming business.”
Founded in 1973 to provide revenue for the Colorado River Indian Tribes, CRIT Farms has become one of the largest farming operations in Western Arizona. But after significant growth over the last fifty years, access to additional financial capital is necessary to sustain the Tribe’s position as a market leader. Plans for bringing previously fallowed acreage back into production, expanding CRIT’s agricultural market reach, as well as developing CRIT’s unused California acreage (and water) are a cornerstone to this investment.
In partnership with CRIT, Indigena Capital will facilitate the investment of tens of millions of dollars to improve water efficiency and administrative capacity on the existing farm and will expand its operations in the coming years. This investment will provide the capital necessary to address overdue investment in CRIT Farms infrastructure and help the Tribe continue to expand its strong position in the market for years to come.
“Our people must continue to receive the cultural and economic benefits from our water; we accomplished that today,” continued Chairwoman Flores. While Indigena Capital is the financial partner for the farming operation, under the terms of the agreement with Indigena, the tribe will maintain exclusive and sovereign control of CRIT’s water.
After five decades as CRIT Farms, the tribal farming operation is also rebranding as ‘Amat Kuhwely. The new name—a Mohave language reference for what today is called Parker, the place that was dug, — better reflects CRIT’s ancestral connection to the land and water that provides economic bounty for its people. “I have often stated that we have always been farmers, and we will always be farmers. This reinvestment is a confirmation of that,” said Chairwoman Flores.
The investments on the CRIT Reservation come at a critical time in the Colorado River Basin. As the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation undertakes an ambitious plan—known as the post-2026 guidelines—that will re-work how it manages the River, developing farming operations at CRIT opens a diverse array of additional prosperous opportunities for the Tribe. (more…)
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.
