On Nov. 6, 2025, the Colorado River Indian Tribes Tribal Council made history with a unanimous vote that fundamentally changes how the Colorado River is recognized under tribal law. The council granted legal personhood status to the Colorado River itself, making CRIT the first community anywhere to bestow such recognition on the 1,450-mile waterway. … Under the new status, the Colorado River gains three significant protections under tribal law. First, the river has the legal right to be protected. … Second, current and future CRIT tribal councils must consider the river’s needs when making decisions. … Third, CRIT now has explicit legal mechanisms to address the damage that climate change has inflicted—and continues to inflict—on the Colorado River.