Arizona tribal leaders acknowledge personhood status for the Colorado River

PHOENIX — The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) have taken a huge leap forward in their ongoing efforts to protect and preserve their namesake.

Last week, the tribal council voted to acknowledge legal personhood status for the body of water.

The Nov. 6 vote follows similar actions other tribes have taken to safeguard natural resources. However, CRIT has made history as the first community to ever bestow personhood status on the Colorado River.

The move came in response to overuse of water resources, according to a Tuesday announcement from the tribes.

“There is no greater expression of sovereignty than protecting, stewarding, and securing for future generations what our ancestors handed down to us,” according to the resolution.

How will Colorado River personhood impact Arizonans moving forward?

Here are three big changes made possible by the Colorado River personhood establishment:

• As a legal person, the Colorado River has the right to be protected under tribal law.
• It also means current and future tribal councils will have to account for the river’s needs while making decisions.
• It also means CRIT has legal means to address damage climate change has inflicted — and continues to inflict — on the Colorado River.

The tribal community’s attorney general will work closely with various staff members to develop provisions for the tribal council to review and potentially approve.

These provisions would be added to the tribal code — including the water code — to reflect the Colorado River’s personhood status and outline all protections the river is entitled to under tribal law.

“That personhood status is a reflection of our values as a people and our spiritual, cultural, and religious connection to the Colorado River from the beginning of time through the end of time,” the resolution said.

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