Colorado River Indian Tribes Take Steps to Help the Colorado River

Many of the 30 Tribes in the Colorado River Basin have articulated the value of a river as a living entity, and that U.S. federal management guidelines must account for the health of the river. Most recently, in early November, the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) adopted a resolution expressing these values and giving the Colorado River—which runs through more than 50 miles of their Tribal lands in Arizona and California—legal rights under Tribal law. As a sovereign, CRIT’s adoption of the resolution establishes their policy for the Colorado River, demonstrating support for protection of the birds and other wildlife that depend on the river’s habitats. Audubon’s commitment to conservation includes respecting Indigenous sovereignty and learning from Native leadership.

The chair of CRIT’s Tribal Council, Amelia Flores, noted this new resolution “will authorize future Tribal Councils to include the needs of the [Colorado] river in any transaction involving our water resources.”

This is significant given that in 2022, Congress passed legislation allowing CRIT to transfer some of their Colorado River water right—the most senior right in Arizona—to other water users.

“This action authorizes Council to include in any transaction involving our water supplies, additional actions to support the long-term health of the river and its ecosystem; things like restoration of habitat, dedicating flows for the delta, or building new wetlands,” Chairwoman Flores said.

Birds connect people across cultural, generational, and geographic boundaries and inspire Audubon’s work with partners. Audubon is engaged in habitat protection and restoration across the Colorado River Basin, efforts that are essential for hundreds of bird species like American Avocet, Vermilion Flycatcher, and Western Yellow-Billed Cuckoo.

Recently, Audubon and CRIT began working together to restore wetlands on CRIT’s reservation, and the new resolution could boost that effort. Beyond that, CRIT’s potential interest in water transactions that dedicate flows for the Colorado River Delta could open new possibilities for providing water to that desiccated region where Audubon works with partners in the Raise the River coalition to restore the Colorado River to benefit nature and people alike.

CRIT’s Chairwoman Flores called protection of the Colorado River a “sacred obligation.” Audubon is honored to be working with CRIT on the Colorado River to improve outcomes for birds and all that depend on it.