September 10, 2026 3:36 pm
CRIT Nation, Parker, AZ
September 10, 2026 3:36 pm
CRIT Nation, Parker, AZ

Notices

NOTICE OF ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HEARINGS

On a Proposed Ordinance to Amend
the Government Code
to Add an Article 6. Standard of Conduct and Ethics

 

Dates:
Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 5:30 P.M.
Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 1:00 P.M.
Monday, November 18, 2024 at 9:00 A.M.

Location:  Colorado River Indian Tribes Tribal Council Chambers

The proposed Ordinance will amend the Government Code by adding an Article 6. Standard of Conduct and Ethics, which will govern the actions and activities of Tribal Council members to ensure they are carried out in the highest ethical standards, and to set forth consequences for violating these standards.

Written comments from the public will be accepted at the address below up until 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 20, 2024. Any comments submitted will be made a part of the legislative record and will be considered for incorporation into the final Code.

Submit comments to:  Colorado River Indian Tribes
Office of the Attorney General
26600 Mohave Road Parker, Arizona  85344

The proposed Code can be viewed online and printed just follow this link C_Standards of Conduct Ethics _08062024 Edits

 

Copies will also available at the Tribal Administrative Bldg. and the CRIT Library, located at 26600 Mohave Road, Parker, Arizona.

Planned Power Outage – Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Per BIA Electric, Mochem Housing in the Valley will not lose power

 

 

Corte de energía planificado – miércoles 23 de octubre de 2024

Según BIA Electric, Mochem Housing en el valle no se quedará sin electricidad.

Services for Angelita Thompson

Lost Lake Resort Camping and Boating Information

General Welfare Assistance Notification

Click the links below to download a form

Direct Deposit Authorization Form

General Welfare Application_09242024

General Welfare Application Minors_09242024

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

 

Dear Tribal Member:

Tribal Council has approved a 2024 General Welfare Assistance payment of $2,000.00 for each CRIT Tribal Member. CRIT Tribal members, both minors and adults, who are enrolled with CRIT as of November 1, 2024 are eligible to receive assistance. Tribal Members MUST submit an application to receive a General Assistance Payment for 2024.

Click the links below to download a form

Direct Deposit Authorization Form

General Welfare Application_09242024

General Welfare Application Minors_09242024

This 2024 General Welfare Assistance payment replaces the annual Tribal Distribution Payment.  The benefits to the membership are that the General Welfare Assistance payment is NOT income subject to federal taxes and should not impact eligibility for benefits such as SSI and food stamps.  You will not be issued a 1099 for this payment.  Please review the General Welfare Plan for more information.

Tribal Members will receive their General Welfare Assistance payment by mail or by direct deposit into a bank account after submitting their application.  Parents or legal guardians may request direct deposit for their eligible minor tribal member children into an account owned by the parent or the child.  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUBMIT A NEW DIRECT DEPOSIT FORM WITH YOUR APPLICATION IF YOU INTEND TO RECEIVE YOUR GENERAL WELFARE ASSISTANCE PAYMENT IN SAME BANK ACCOUNT AS YOU RECEIVED YOUR 2023 GENERAL WELFARE ASSISTANCE PAYMENT.

The General Welfare Assistance payment will be mailed or direct deposited as follows:

Application and Forms Due Date                   Payment Issued

Must be received by Accounting:

October 18, 2024                                            November 21, 2024

November 22, 2024                                        December 19, 2024

December 20, 2024                                         January 16, 2025

After December 20, 2024                              Payments issued monthly on a rolling basis

and before December 31, 2025

If you want to receive your General Welfare Assistance payment by direct deposit, you must submit the attached Direct Deposit Authorization Form along with a voided check to CRIT Accounting.  If you do not have a direct deposit authorization form on file from last year, or do not submit one for 2024 with your application, your payment will be mailed to the address on your application.  The mailing address you provide on the application will be used to update your address with both enrollment and accounting.   You may have already  received written notification  along with  an application and a self-addressed stamped envelope for your use to return the forms or the forms can be dropped off in person at Tribal Administration.  Additionally, the application and forms can be emailed to GWA@crit-nsn.gov.

Please note that the checks for eligible minor tribal members will be issued in the name of the child and not the parents. Parents or guardians must submit proof of their right to receive the distribution on behalf of their child by submitting an application with a copy of the birth certificate listing the parent(s), and if applicable, a court order establishing legal custody and placement before checks will be mailed or the payment directly deposited.

Checks will not be issued to the parent(s) if they do not have the care and custody of their children.  Guardians and custodians of minors who are not the child’s legal parent shall be required to provide a court order indicating their status.  Payments for children in the physical care and custody of CRIT Social Services or other state or tribal agencies shall be held in an account established by CRIT Accounting.

Tribal Members must apply for the 2024 General Welfare Assistance Payments no later than December 31, 2025 after which a 2024 payment will not be available.

Please be advised that if you are in default on a debt you owe to the Colorado River Indian Tribes or its enterprises, you may voluntarily agree to apply your General Welfare Assistance to the loan or other outstanding debt in default.  If you have any questions about outstanding debts in default please contact Tracey Quillen at (928) 669-1239.

If you have any questions regarding General Welfare Assistance or you have an agency incorrectly treating this payment as income please contact the Office of the Attorney General at (928) 669-1271.

Click the links below to download a form

Direct Deposit Authorization Form

General Welfare Application_09242024

General Welfare Application Minors_09242024

Personhood Status Protects The Life Of The Colorado River

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

Colorado River Talks Stall, Arizona Calls for Federal Action

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.

8NewsNow
https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/colorado-river-negotiations-fail-to-meet-federal-deadline-for-7-state-agreement/

High Country News
https://www.hcn.org/articles/why-colorado-river-negotiations-are-so-difficult/

 

ABC 15 News
https://www.abc15.com/weather/impact-earth/why-gov-katie-hobbs-wants-trump-administration-to-broker-colorado-river-deal

 

12 News
/wednesday-is-deadline-for-7-state-including-arizona-to-negotiate-the-colorado-river

News

Happy New Year

Thank you from the Parker Indian Rodeo Association (PIRA)

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!

Merry Christmas

Colorado River Indian Tribes Announces Significant Investment to Expand Farming Operations

Tribal Council Reforms Will Improve and Expand Agriculture On Tribal Lands

 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…)

Events

University of Arizona to Honor Colorado River Indian Tribes with Native Language Sign Unveiling Ceremonies and Heritage Football Game

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:

  • 9:00 AM – Emil W. Haury Anthropology Building (1009 E South Campus Dr): Honoring the CRIT Chemehuevi language. The ceremony features a welcome and land acknowledgment from Levi Esquerra (Special Advisor, NAATE), a prayer by Eloy DeLeon, remarks from Clarissa Robles Parra on behalf of the Office of the Provost, and an address by CRIT Chairwoman Amelia Flores. Cultural sharing will feature the Salt Song(s) and Red Foot, followed by refreshments.
  • 10:30 AM – Environment and Natural Resources 2 (ENR2) Building (1064 E Lowell St): Honoring the CRIT Navajo language. Hosted by Liz Petterson, Associate Director, Arizona Institute for Resilience, alongside CRIT Chairwoman Amelia Flores, and a Navajo language representative featuring a traditional blessing and cultural demonstration.
  • 1:00 PM – Forbes Building (1140 E South Campus Dr): Honoring the CRIT Hopi language with remarks from Dr. Edward Martin (Associate Dean, CALES Cooperative Extension), Professor Sheilah Nicholas, and Dean George W. Smith.
  • 2:30 PM – College of Education Building (1430 E 2nd St): Honoring the CRIT Mohave language. The concluding sign unveiling of the day will include introductions by students, remarks from CRIT Chairwoman Amelia Flores, and a final cultural demonstration.

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.

Keep The River Running August 25

Mohave sign unveiling

Hopi sign unveiling

Navajo sign unveiling

Chemehuevi sign unveiling