June 1, 2026 8:57 am
CRIT Nation, Parker, AZ
June 1, 2026 8:57 am
CRIT Nation, Parker, AZ
Follow the link below for the propsed amended code
2026 Amended and Restated Gaming Code_Public Hearing
Follow the link below to download an application.
CRIT Tribal Board Vacancies Application 2026
The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) Water Resources Department is now accepting proposals for Drain Cleaning and Mechanical Vegetation Management services for the Colorado River Irrigation Project (CRIP) near Parker and Poston, Arizona.
This project supports the continued care and functionality of CRIT’s irrigation system, which is vital to agricultural operations and stewardship of the Colorado River. Qualified contractors are encouraged to review the full Request for Proposals and submit by the stated deadline.
For full details, submission guidelines, and requirements, click the link below.
According to KOLD News 13, ongoing debates over how Colorado River water should be allocated could have major consequences for Arizona farmers. Agriculture relies heavily on Colorado River water, particularly through deliveries from the Central Arizona Project.
If deeper cuts are implemented under new federal operating guidelines, many agricultural operations could face significant reductions in available water. Farmers and water managers are closely watching negotiations as federal officials work to finalize new management rules for the river after 2026.
For CRIT, these discussions are important because agriculture remains one of the largest users of Colorado River water. Decisions about water allocations across the basin could influence farming operations, economic stability, and long-term water planning throughout the region.
According to the Los Angeles Times, officials from Arizona, California, and Nevada are urging the federal government to reconsider parts of its draft plan for managing Colorado River water shortages.
Leaders from the Lower Basin states say the proposal could shift too much responsibility for water reductions onto their states, even though they have already implemented conservation measures in recent years. The request highlights ongoing tensions between the Upper Basin and Lower Basin states as the federal government works toward new operating rules.
For CRIT and other Tribal Nations along the river, the outcome of these negotiations will shape how water shortages are shared across the basin and how the Colorado River is managed in the future.
According to KJZZ, a new agreement involving Arizona and Mexico could move forward plans to produce desalinated ocean water that could eventually supplement Colorado River supplies.
The concept would involve building desalination facilities along the Gulf of California and transporting treated water inland. While the project would require major infrastructure and investment, supporters say it could help reduce reliance on the Colorado River during prolonged drought conditions.
For CRIT, proposals like this reflect how states are exploring alternative water sources as pressure on the Colorado River increases and long-term supply challenges continue.
According to KJZZ, Arizona water officials are pushing back against a draft federal proposal that would guide how the Colorado River is managed after 2026. Leaders from Arizona’s water agencies say the proposal could unfairly shift more water reductions onto Lower Basin states like Arizona.
The plan is part of the Bureau of Reclamation’s process to create new operating rules for Lake Mead and Lake Powell as the river continues to face long-term drought and declining flows. Arizona officials argue the draft proposal does not adequately account for previous conservation efforts already made by Lower Basin states.
For CRIT and other Tribal Nations along the Colorado River, these negotiations are critical because the final federal plan will shape how water shortages are shared and how the river system is managed in the decades ahead.
According to the Colorado Sun, water experts are exploring a “conservation pool” concept that could help stabilize water levels in the Colorado River’s major reservoirs. The idea would create a reserve of water stored specifically to protect Lake Mead and Lake Powell from dropping to critically low levels.
Under the proposal, water users across the basin would contribute conserved water that could be held in reserve and used during severe shortages. Supporters say the concept could provide more flexibility in managing the river during drought conditions.
For CRIT and other Colorado River communities, ideas like this illustrate the kinds of creative management strategies being discussed as officials work to protect the long-term reliability of the river system.
Source:
https://coloradosun.com/2026/03/04/conservation-pool-path-forward-colorado-river/
According to the Imperial Valley Press, California water officials are warning that the federal government’s proposed Colorado River management plan could conflict with the Colorado River Compact and other long-standing water agreements.
State officials say parts of the draft plan could undermine legal water rights that have governed the river for more than a century. The warning highlights growing tension among the basin states as they struggle to reach consensus on how to manage declining river supplies.
For CRIT, discussions about the Law of the River, compacts, and federal authority are especially important because Tribal Nations hold legally recognized water rights that must be considered in future river management decisions.
According to KTAR News, decisions being made about the future management of the Colorado River will have major consequences for Arizona’s water supply. State leaders say upcoming federal decisions on post-2026 river operations could determine how much water Arizona receives during future shortages.
The Colorado River supplies water to millions of people across the Southwest and supports agriculture, cities, and power generation. As negotiations among the seven basin states remain unresolved, federal officials may ultimately have to determine how water reductions are shared.
For CRIT and other Tribal Nations along the Colorado River, these decisions are especially important because new operating rules will guide how the river is managed for decades and could influence water deliveries, infrastructure planning, and long-term water security.
According to 9News Denver, the seven Colorado River Basin states have missed key deadlines to reach a new agreement on how to manage the shrinking river. With negotiations stalled, the federal government may ultimately step in and set new operating rules.
The U.S. Department of the Interior has been working with the states to develop guidelines for managing Lake Mead and Lake Powell after 2026, when current shortage agreements expire. Without consensus among the states, federal officials could impose a plan to prevent reservoir levels from dropping to dangerously low levels.
For CRIT, federal involvement in Colorado River operations is significant because Tribal Nations are key stakeholders in the river system. Decisions made during this process could affect water allocations, infrastructure planning, and the long-term stability of the river that supports communities across the basin.
According to 12News (KPNX), Arizona leaders say the state is approaching a critical moment as Colorado River negotiations continue and water cutbacks remain likely. Officials described the situation as a crossroads, warning that the next few years will require difficult decisions about conservation, water use, and long-term planning.
The looming reductions stem from ongoing negotiations over post-2026 operating rules for the Colorado River, which will determine how water shortages are shared among the seven basin states. Arizona has already taken significant reductions under earlier shortage agreements, and additional cuts could affect cities, agriculture, and water providers across the state.
For CRIT and other Tribal Nations along the river, these discussions are important because future operating guidelines will shape how the Colorado River is managed for decades. Tribal water rights, infrastructure investments, and long-term planning will all be influenced by how states and the federal government resolve these negotiations.
According to the Arizona Republic, scientists say the western United States may not simply be experiencing a drought but a long-term shift toward a drier climate known as “aridification.” Researchers say the region has effectively been in a 32-year drought, but climate patterns suggest the West could remain permanently drier than historical averages.
This shift is affecting the Colorado River Basin, where reservoirs like Lake Mead and Lake Powell remain far below historic levels despite occasional wet years. Scientists say warmer temperatures cause more water to evaporate and reduce snowpack that normally feeds the river.
For CRIT, this concept of aridification is important because it changes how water planning is approached. Instead of preparing for drought cycles followed by recovery, water managers may need to plan for a permanently smaller Colorado River supply.
According to KJZZ, lawmakers introduced around 30 groundwater-related bills during the current Arizona legislative session, but most proposals do not directly focus on conservation. Instead, many of the bills address water development, transportation, or regulatory changes.
Arizona groundwater policy has become a growing concern as communities increasingly turn to underground aquifers to supplement shrinking Colorado River supplies. Some lawmakers and water experts argue stronger conservation policies are needed to protect these aquifers for future generations.
For CRIT and other Tribal communities, groundwater policy is significant because it influences regional water demand and long-term water sustainability across Arizona. As Colorado River supplies tighten, groundwater management decisions could shape how the state balances growth with water availability.
According to KJZZ News, environmental groups are warning of serious long-term impacts to the Colorado River system after negotiators missed another deadline to finalize future water management rules. Advocates say declining reservoir levels, ongoing drought, and delayed agreements could increase pressure on ecosystems, agriculture, and water supplies across the Southwest. The warnings highlight growing urgency for coordinated conservation and policy action. For CRIT, these discussions are important because federal decisions about river operations directly influence how tribal water rights are protected and how long-term water stability is maintained.
Source: KJZZ News — https://www.kjzz.org/politics/2026-02-19/environmental-groups-warn-of-dire-impacts-after-colorado-river-negotiators-miss-another-deadline
According to Nevada Public Radio, Colorado River negotiations continue to face challenges as states balance drought impacts, water demand, and competing priorities. Officials involved in the talks say progress has been uneven and that future agreements may require difficult compromises across the basin. Continued uncertainty highlights the complexity of managing the river under changing climate conditions. For CRIT, ongoing interstate negotiations remain important because federal and regional policy decisions directly affect how tribal water rights are recognized and protected.
Source: Nevada Public Radio — https://knpr.org/show/knprs-state-of-nevada/2026-02-20/nevadas-main-water-negotiator-talks-about-the-bumpy-road-ahead-in-the-colorado-river-discussions
According to Newsweek, recent data shows some improvement in Lake Mead water levels following storms and conservation efforts, offering cautious optimism for the Colorado River system. However, experts note that long-term drought conditions still pose significant challenges and continued conservation will remain essential. Reservoir levels remain a key factor in determining water deliveries across the basin. For CRIT, reservoir conditions remain important because federal operational decisions tied to storage levels directly affect how tribal water allocations are managed and protected.
Source: Newsweek — https://www.newsweek.com/lake-mead-water-levels-get-good-news-11557968
According to Arizona Water News, Arizona and its Lower Basin partners say they remain committed to finding common ground on new Colorado River operating rules despite stalled negotiations among the seven basin states. Officials emphasized continued collaboration with federal agencies and neighboring states to stabilize water supplies beyond 2026 as drought conditions persist. The effort reflects ongoing attempts to balance conservation, water demand, and long-term river sustainability. For CRIT, these negotiations remain important because federal and interstate agreements directly influence how tribal water rights are recognized and protected in future Colorado River management decisions.
Source: Arizona Water News — https://www.azwater.gov/news/articles/2026-02-19
According to the Navajo Times, federal officials are moving forward with developing new Colorado River operating guidelines even as state negotiations remain stalled. The Department of the Interior is continuing its environmental review process to prepare for post-2026 river management, highlighting the federal government’s role when states cannot reach consensus. Tribal consultation remains part of that process. For CRIT, federal involvement is significant because Colorado River policies shaped at the federal level directly affect tribal water rights, long-term planning, and regional water security.
Source: Navajo Times — https://navajotimes.com/reznews/federal-officials-move-forward-on-colorado-river-operating-rules-as-state-negotiations-stall/
According to ABC 15 Arizona, tribal nations along the Colorado River are among those with the most at stake as negotiations over future water allocations continue. Tribal leaders emphasize the importance of protecting established water rights while ensuring sustainable solutions to ongoing drought conditions. The article highlights how tribal participation is increasingly central in discussions about the river’s future. For CRIT, these conversations are especially important because tribal sovereignty and water rights remain critical factors in how Colorado River resources are managed across the basin. (more…)
The prolonged drought combined with the lowest winter snowpack on record is requiring swift actions to protect this vital water system
WASHINGTON – Long-term drought has reduced Colorado River system storage to about 36 percent of capacity, and the combination of the lowest snowpack on record and record-breaking March heat has further intensified drought conditions across the Basin. These compounding factors are creating elevated risks to essential water and power infrastructure that supply water to more than 40 million people, underscoring the need for immediate action.
Lake Powell’s water year minimum probable inflow is forecasted at just 2.78 million acre-feet—29% of historical average and one of the lowest on record. Reclamation’s April “24 Month Study” projects Lake Powell may decline to below 3,490 feet—the minimum power pool level—by August 2026 without major intervention. If Glen Canyon Dam declines below 3,490 feet, water releases would be only through the river outlet works, which could cause operational issues, uncertainty for users, downstream impacts, instability in regional power and water supplies, and a reduction in power generation.
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum met with Governors for the seven basin states, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, and their designees again today to discuss the concerning hydrology and plans for operations.
“I am grateful for the Governors and their teams working diligently to find a solution to the complex challenges created by these unprecedented drought conditions which require immediate action,” said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. “Interior and Reclamation continue to coordinate with the basin states, tribes, Mexico and basin stakeholders as we make the decisions necessary to operate and protect the system.”
To stabilize the system, Reclamation is moving quickly and initial plans include adding up to about 2.48 maf of water to Lake Powell by moving water from the upstream Flaming Gorge Reservoir and by reducing releases from Lake Powell.
Through the 2019 Drought Response Operating Agreements, Reclamation is intending to release 660,000 acre-feet to 1 maf from Flaming Gorge Reservoir from April 2026 through April 2027. In addition, Reclamation is intending to reduce the annual release volume from Lake Powell to Lake Mead by 1.48 maf—from 7.48 maf to 6.0 maf—through September 2026 by utilizing section 6E of the Record of Decision from the final 2024 Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for near-term Colorado River Operations.
Together, these actions are expected to increase Lake Powell’s elevation by approximately 54 ft to at least elevation 3500 feet by April 2027. Through the current, ongoing DROA process, the basin states, tribes and partners continue to provide feedback related to the proposed releases. A final decision will be coming next week.
Flaming Gorge Reservoir now holds about 3.1 maf of water, which is 83% full. These actions are expected to lower the reservoir’s elevation by roughly 35 feet over the next year to approximately 59% of capacity. This will have no effect on contracted water rights at Flaming Gorge or Lake Powell. No additional releases from the other upstream initial units of the Colorado River Storage Project Act—Blue Mesa and Navajo reservoirs—are planned at this time, due to their low water levels and poor forecasted inflows.
“Given the severity of the risks facing the Colorado River system, it is imperative that we take action quickly to protect a resource that supplies water to 40 million people and supports vital agricultural, hydropower production, tribal, wildlife, and recreational uses across the region,” said Assistant Secretary — Water and Science Andrea Travnicek. “As we weigh current conditions and prepare for future operations by working with states, tribal nations and stakeholders, the Department of the Interior and Reclamation remain fully committed to taking the actions necessary to reduce impacts on water deliveries, safeguard critical infrastructure, and preserve as much operational flexibility as possible.” (more…)
Parker, Ariz.) The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) welcomes the news that The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected the Arizona Legislature’s challenge to Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni-Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. The monument, established by a 2023 presidential proclamation, protects approximately 917,000 acres of federal land surrounding the Grand Canyon.
CRIT is part of the Grand Canyon Tribal Leaders’ Coalition and the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Tribal Commission.
CRIT Chairwoman Amelia Flores said, “The Colorado River is indistinguishably connected to the lands of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument. This monument protects the health of the Colorado River, the surrounding lands, and the irreplaceable cultural resources. This ruling designation honors the tribal connections to the surrounding lands and the value of tribal stewardship in protecting the waters that flow through the Grand Canyon down to our reservation.”
Leadership from the Colorado River Indian Tribal Council served a major role in the official designation of the Monument an attended its dedication ceremony in August 2023.
On April 1st, 2026, Senator Ruben Gallego visited the Colorado River Indian Reservation. Upon the visit, he came to the Tribal Council Chambers and met with Chairwoman Amelia Flores, Vice Chairman Dwight Lomayesva, Council Secretary Josephine Tahbo, Councilwoman Vanessa Welch, Councilman Billy Beeson, Councilman Tommy Drennan, Councilwoman Raeanne Patch, and Councilwoman Tracey Quillen. Chairwoman Amelia Flores and Councilman Drennan thanked him for coming to CRIT, and spoke on the pro-rata decisions that are being considered for the Colorado River in its recent publication of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). They expressed a deep concern for the decisions stating that pro-rata is in many ways unlawful, and goes directly against their seniority water rights.
Furthermore, Senator Gallego took a small tour with Chairwoman Flores, members of Council, and lead water attorney John Bezdek with Joshua Moore as their tour guide on the reservation. The last stop was at the Colorado River Sewage System Joint Venture where they met with Town of Parker Mayor Randy Hartless, Vice Mayor Zafer Genc, Town Manager Nora Yackley, Council member Joshua Grenwalt, and Operations Manager Ashley Longanecker. The tour of the facility was led by Longanecker who emphasized the importance of fixing the sewage system for Parker and the Reservation, which was clearly displayed in its decaying state in need of desperate repairs. (more…)
A new federal policy proposal is threatening to Colorado River tribal water rights, and tribal leaders are fighting back. The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) issued a forceful set of comments in response to the Bureau of Reclamation’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) outlining proposed alternatives for post-2026 operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead.
In its current form, the DEIS includes an analysis of several alternatives for Colorado River operations that would distribute water shortages by cutting water to all users on a pro-rata basis. By doing this, it aims to treat all users the same, regardless of priority date. For CRIT, which holds senior rights in the Lower Colorado River, rights that date back to 1865, and are protected under the Supreme Court decree in Arizona v. California. Such an approach would undermine the very legal foundation that secures the Tribe’s access to water. Making matters worse, the draft also relies on assumptions tied to current consumptive use. This framework risks penalizing CRIT for the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) failure to efficiently operate and properly maintain the Colorado River Indian Irrigation Project, which is the primary means for CRIT to use its water.
If this draft is finalized without any changes, and these policies are put into action, some of the alternatives proposed in the report would represent significant policy shift for Colorado River management. Current operating agreements that govern the river expire at the end of 2026, which is the reason for federal officials to develop new guidelines intended to manage rising demand. Currently, there is extreme pressure to find solutions due to worsening drought conditions, declining reservoir levels, and increasing uncertainty across the basin.
In its response, CRIT asserts that several proposed federal approaches conflict with long-established water law and threaten to undermine the Tribe’s senior water rights. CRIT’s comment letter warns that without significant revision, the draft could place federal actions in violation of existing U.S. Supreme Court decrees. In its letter, Tribal Council made very clear to the Secretary of the Interior and Reclamation officials that it will take any actions it deems necessary to protect CRIT’s rights, including litigation before the Supreme Court.
Why Pro-rata should never be considered:
Pro-rata was put into consideration under the previous presidential administration, and continues on in the current government. This was one of several potential alternatives to address the significant shortages in Arizona, which stands to lose at least 27% of its entire water allocation. Under the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) pro-rata concept, they would address water shortages by cutting deliveries evenly among users based on the percentage of water they currently use (or consume), rather than on each user’s legal priority.
Priority Matters: First in Time – First in Right
A water-user’s ‘priority’ is like a place in line, users at the front of the line are usually those who established their right to use water first. They get their water first, and in full, while lower-priority users, who established their water rights later in time, get their full share of water if there is still enough to go around. Only in times of extraordinary shortage, and after all lower-priority users are cut to zero, would ‘first-priority’ users have to take less than they are legally entitled to use. This is a long-established truth about Western U.S. water law: though it can lead to harsh outcomes, first in time = first in right… and all western water-users know this is how water law works.
But under a pro-rata approach, the Priority system would conveniently disappear, and all water users, regardless of when their rights were established, would share reductions during times of shortage. For CRIT, whose water rights are among the most senior in the Lower Basin, a pro-rata system represents a fundamental shift away from long-standing legal principles that have historically governed how Colorado River water is distributed.
Pro-rata has been vehemently opposed by CRIT leaders as a violation of the law and an attack on CRIT tribal sovereignty. On two separate occasions in the past 6 months, leaders from DOI and Reclamation have met with Council. On both of those occasions, Tribal Council has been forceful that pro-rata shortages are illegal.
Due to a hotter and drier climate, reservoirs at Lake Mead and Lake Powell have dropped to historically low elevations, and federal officials warn that existing management strategies have not been sufficient to stabilize the system. The DEIS proposes a range of operational alternatives designed to balance two competing priorities; 1) maintaining water deliveries to users across seven states, and 2) protecting reservoir storage in order to maintain infrastructure integrity.
Federal officials state that new guidelines are needed to provide predictability to water users while adapting to increasingly dry conditions expected in the future. The proposed framework would guide operations for up to 20 years, beginning in October 2026. CRIT argues that portions of the draft plan conflict with established federal law and the Supreme Court Decree governing the Colorado River.
Water Rights and Infrastructure Challenges
CRIT’s response also highlights longstanding infrastructure challenges affecting the Colorado River Indian Irrigation Project (CRIIP). Since its original construction, the irrigation system serving the Reservation has seen little modernization or meaningful improvement to meet 21st-century operational standards. As a result, aging canals leak significant amounts of water into the ground before it ever reaches a field or crops, and the canals operate so inefficiently that enormous amounts of water is allowed to spill off the end of the system, straight back into the Colorado River, without ever being turned out onto a field.
Addressing this problem is no simple undertaking. The irrigation system is federally owned and managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), an agency that has faced decades of declining funding and limited operational capacity. According to CRIT’s response, these systemic challenges have prevented the Tribe from fully utilizing water.
The passage of the Colorado River Indian Tribes Water Resiliency Act of 2022 further strengthens this effort by granting CRIT the authority to store, conserve, and lease its water. Historically, the water has been lost through deteriorating canals can instead be preserved for tribal agriculture, community development, and, if the Tribe chooses, leased to generate revenue that directly benefits CRIT and its members. The Tribe’s adoption of its Water Code and recognition of the Colorado River’s Personhood Status under tribal law further reinforces this framework of sovereignty and stewardship. One of the main goals for CRIT in pursuing these efforts is to expand agricultural operations across the reservation. These efforts will create greater opportunities for Tribal members and ensure long-term prosperity for the community and more importantly, for future generations.
CRIT also forcefully argues that Reclamation must acknowledge the Personhood Status of the Colorado River under tribal law. The Tribe claims that the DEIS must analyze the impacts on the Colorado River from diverting water for use in central Arizona. The water is best left in-stream to benefit and protect its status as a living entity, which provides spiritual, cultural, and religious benefits to tribal members.
Taken together, these developments underscore why CRIT views the current federal proposal as a defining moment. This is why pro-rata should never be considered, because it undermines all the progress CRIT has made to ensure it can use its water rights entirely, and within the long-established, existing legal framework. The Tribe’s response makes clear that decisions affecting the Colorado River cannot move forward without full recognition of tribal rights and authority. CRIT has signaled that it is prepared to defend those rights, and if necessary, take this matter to the United States Supreme Court.
Read the document in its entirety – Comments from the Colorado River Indian Tribes on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement on Post-2026 Operational Guidelines for Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Follow the link below.
BOR_Comments CRIT Draft Environmental Impact Statement on Post 2026 Operational Guidelines and Strategies for La
