Colorado River shortages are raising questions about more than how much water each state receives. For Tribal Nations along the river, decisions about reservoir operations can affect their ability to use water they already have legal rights to.
Nevada Public Radio, in a report carried by Utah Public Radio, highlighted the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe’s concerns as the federal government moves forward with new Colorado River operating guidelines. The Tribe holds approximately 133,000 acre-feet of water rights annually, with much of that water supporting agricultural operations that help fund housing, healthcare, education, and other Tribal services.
Fort Mojave Chairman Timothy Williams told the news outlet that changing river levels are already affecting the Tribe’s ability to deliver water to its farms. Last winter, water levels dropped so low that one of the Tribe’s pumping stations could not draw water for four months. Farm manager Andrew Harter said continued low-water conditions could limit what the Tribe can grow.
The report also addressed a longstanding concern among Tribal Nations: despite holding substantial water rights, Tribes do not have the same formal role as the seven Basin states in negotiating the river’s operating rules.
Jay Weiner, a water attorney for the Quechan Indian Tribe and a member of the Water and Tribes Initiative leadership team, said Tribal governments have historically been excluded from important water management decisions. With 30 federally recognized Tribes in the Colorado River Basin, the issue extends beyond any one reservation.
The impact of future shortages is also becoming a concern for Arizona agriculture.
Cronkite News reported that the federal reductions planned for 2027 and 2028 are not expected to immediately affect Yuma-area farmers, who hold senior Colorado River water rights. Much of the reduction will instead affect the Central Arizona Project, which delivers water to central and southern Arizona.
However, Arizona Farm Bureau President John Boelts said farmers remain concerned about what happens after the two-year operating period. Yuma-area farms supply approximately 90% of the leafy greens consumed in the United States and Canada between October and April.
Central Arizona farmers have already experienced significant reductions. Cronkite News reported that many farmers who previously relied on CAP agricultural water lost access around 2023, forcing some to leave fields fallow or turn to groundwater.
Meanwhile, Arizona’s growing technology industry is adding another dimension to the water discussion.
A separate Cronkite News report examined concerns about data centers, which require water for cooling and indirectly through electricity generation. Water experts interviewed by the outlet said data centers are not responsible for the current Colorado River shortage, although their continued growth could increase pressure on Arizona’s limited supplies.
Arizona State University water law professor Rhett Larson said data centers are growing rapidly, but determining their total water use remains difficult because facilities use different cooling systems and many are not required to publicly disclose their consumption.
Together, the Sept. 11 reports highlight several connected issues facing the Colorado River Basin: protecting access to Tribal water rights, preparing agriculture for future reductions, and understanding how new development adds to water demand.
What does this mean for CRIT?
The Fort Mojave reporting is particularly relevant to CRIT because both Tribes hold senior Colorado River rights and depend on the river for agriculture, economic activity, and cultural traditions.
Fort Mojave’s experience also illustrates the difference between possessing water rights and being able to physically use that water. Changes in river elevation can affect pumping infrastructure even when a Tribe’s legal allocation remains unchanged.
For CRIT, the reporting reinforces the significance of Tribal participation in Colorado River negotiations. Decisions about reservoir operations, conservation, and future shortages can have practical consequences for Tribal governments that rely directly on the river.
The agricultural reporting also connects to CRIT’s farming operations. Although senior rights place CRIT in a different position than many junior-priority users, the wider discussion about agricultural water use, conservation, and future shortages remains relevant to the Tribe’s economic interests.
Sources
Utah Public Radio / Nevada Public Radio: “Tribes depend on the Colorado River, but don’t have a formal say in managing it”
https://www.upr.org/politics/2026-09-11/native-tribes-colorado-river-negotiations-mojave
Cronkite News: “Colorado River cuts haven’t hit Arizona farmers yet, but that might be coming”
https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2026/09/10/water-cuts-arizona-farms/
Cronkite News: “Don’t blame data centers for Arizona’s Colorado River cuts, water experts say”
https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2026/09/11/data-centers-water-colorado-river/