The Fight for Sacred Water
Why Native American Rights to the Colorado River Matter Now More Than Ever
Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) is pursuing legal personhood for the Colorado River, a groundbreaking step to protect it.
Tribes are demanding real representation in the 2026 negotiations on water management.
Despite holding senior rights, tribes still lack infrastructure to access much of their water.
While hay is grown for export, many Native families lack running water and resort to bucket hauling.
The 2026 negotiations are a pivotal chance to protect tribal rights and the future of the entire Southwest.
The Colorado River has been a lifeline for Indigenous peoples of the Southwest for millennia. Yet today, tribes, who legally hold substantial rights, remain largely excluded from decisions shaping the river’s fate. With climate change tightening its grip and urgent negotiations looming in 2026, this struggle isn’t just about justice; it could decide the future of the entire region.
A River Declared a Person?
The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) are advocating for a historic legal shift: granting personhood to the Colorado River. This concept, part of the global “rights of nature” movement, would grant the river legal protections akin to those of a person, enabling someone to sue on its behalf. It’s a powerful cultural and legal assertion, recognizing the river’s spiritual role and extending tribal stewardship into law.
Seeking a Seat at the Table
Recently, tribal leaders have demanded a formal seat in the 2026 renegotiations governing the river’s future. In a panel discussion at the Colorado Water Congress, representatives from some of the 30 tribes dependent on the river spoke openly about their barriers: lack of infrastructure, funding, and systemic exclusion from long-term water planning.
These demands echo a broader movement: tribes and Mexico are jointly pushing for equitable participation in river management.
The Historical Injustice
It’s a century-old pattern: in 1922, the seven river basin states divided the Colorado River. Although the compact acknowledged tribal water rights on paper, tribes weren’t included in negotiations. Much of their water remains “paper water”, recognized but undelivered, leaving many communities without even basic access.
Supreme Court precedents, especially Winters v. United States (1908), recognize tribes’ senior water rights. Yet enforcement and infrastructure to deliver that water remain sorely lacking.
The Real Cost: Buckets for Drinking, Hay for Export
While some tribes await their rightful water, other uses are prioritized, often for thirsty crops that do not serve local communities at all. Roughly half of the Colorado River's water is used to grow hay, some of which is shipped overseas, while some Native families still haul water in buckets to survive.
The Navajo Nation, under its “first-in-time” rights, should be at the top of the priority list; yet, many still lack access to running water, while massive water projects benefit other areas.
2026: A Make-or-Break Moment
Federal guidelines governing river use are set to expire soon. In late 2024, officials released proposals outlining a path forward but offered no final plan. Among these were hybrid options that combined state and tribal priorities, some of which enabled tribes to have equal status in delivery, storage, and conservation arrangements.
At the same time, the Gila River Indian Community fought and won a $105 million release of drought relief funds, spotlighting how fragile and politicized federal support can be.
Why It Matters to Everyone
Granting the Colorado River personhood and ensuring tribal voices are formally included isn’t just moral progress; it’s climate resilience in action. Fully delivering tribes’ water rights and empowering them as co-managers could stabilize supply, restore ecosystems, and bring overdue justice.
If tribes remain excluded, the Southwest risks repeating a century of failure, one that may end in collapse as the river runs dry without equitable, durable solutions in place.