Tribes may finally get a seat at the table during Colorado River discussions
The Colorado River is relied upon by roughly 40 million people. That includes members of 30 federally-recognized tribes, as well as residents across seven states. Four of those are in the region known as the Upper Basin – that includes Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico – and the other three are in the Lower Basin – California, Arizona, and Nevada. In Colorado alone, half of Denver’s supply – as well as half of Colorado Springs’ supply – rely on the river. Tribal nations in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming have been left out of key agreements involving the Colorado River for well over a century now.
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