The Colorado River Indian Tribes and the Central Arizona Water Conservation District finalized an agreement on Sept. 11 to deliver 9,009 acre-feet of tribal water to the Central Arizona Project.
The water was conserved by CRIT between 2020 and 2022 as part of an intentionally created surplus — known as ICS — which helped stabilize Lake Mead and prevented more cuts in water deliveries to Lower Basin states including Arizona.
CRIT conserved about 160,000 acre-feet after requests from the Bureau of Reclamation. The 4,300-member tribe in the Colorado River Valley received $38 million as compensation for leaving 150,000 acre-feet in Lake Mead.
The remaining 10,000 acre-feet of water was the last of the ICS pool CRIT made available as part of the Drought
Contingency Plan adopted in 2019, when river levels declined due to an ongoing long-term drought. That water was converted into an intentionally created surplus so it would not be lost and is still behind Hoover Dam in Lake Mead.
CRIT has lost 10% of its remaining contribution to system and evaporation losses as the ICS agreements stipulated. The agreement to sell the remaining surplus will enable CRIT to avoid such future losses while receiving compensation for the remaining water.
The CAP board approved the $5.3 million purchase on Sept. 3 at the same meeting where it also authorized its legal counsel to take legal action “if necessary” against the Bureau of Reclamation plan to cut Arizona’s share of Colorado River water dramatically in coming years. CAP will deliver two payments for the water at $590 per acre-foot.
Under the ICS agreements, only ICS holders may recover another holder’s surplus. CAP is one of only two entities in Arizona eligible to recover CRIT’s conserved water.
“This agreement reflects Tribal Council’s continued leadership in advocating for responsible and sustainable use of Colorado River water supplies," said CRIT Chairwoman Amelia Flores. She said that it became clear that if the tribe did not act, the water would soon be lost to ICS stipulations. "Instead, by entering into this agreement, we can provide economic value to CRIT while also taking steps to protect the Colorado River through the sustainable use of its resources.”
CRIT and CAP also intend to keep working together on future water-resource matters in Arizona, including protecting, developing and enhancing their respective water resources and the protection and needs of the Colorado River under tribal law and other environmental authorities.
Among other moves, CRIT enacted legislation granting personhood to the river in 2025, which enables the tribe to provide stronger protections for the river at the heart of their culture and history.
“We appreciate CAWCD in working with CRIT to close the books on CRIT’s final chapter in DCP while also acknowledging we all need to work together to protect the needs of the Colorado River under CRIT law and otherwise,” said Councilman Tommy Drennan.
CRIT’s water rights date back to the creation of the reservation on March 3, 1865, and are the most senior tribal water rights in the Lower Colorado River basin.
Debra Krol reports on Indigenous communities at the confluence of climate, culture and commerce in Arizona and the Intermountain West. Reach Krol at debra.krol@azcentral.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @debkrol and on Bluesky at @debkrol.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tribe sells Colorado River water to CAP in a deal to boost Lake Mead
