On their Tribal lands, the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) used geomembrane and concrete to line a segment of a canal measured to have the highest seepage rate on the CRIT Irrigation Project to reduce conveyance loss, more efficiently and reliably deliver water for irrigation, and reduce demand at the CRIT Point of Diversion on the Colorado River. Over time, the project, in combination with a larger suite of irrigation modernization and fallowing actions, will generate “conserved water” that could be used for a variety of purposes that will benefit the CRIT community.
Project Partner: Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT)
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Colorado River Indian Tribes Irrigation Modernization
Established in 1865, the Colorado River Indian Reservation was set aside for indigenous residents of the Colorado River and its tributaries. Today, the Reservation includes approximately 300,000 acres of lands and is primarily home to four distinct tribes – the Mohave, Chemehuevi, Hopi, and Navajo. The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) have territory that stretches along 56 miles of lower Colorado River lands with the majority of their reservation located in Arizona.
Irrigation infrastructure on the CRIT lands are in a significant state of disrepair. The CRIT are implementing a number of projects to improve irrigation efficiency. These projects will increase resilience for tribal farm operations by maintaining irrigation for economic development; open the door for tribal water management that can support system conservation agreements to leave water in Lake Mead; open pathways to lease water to support non-tribal water uses in central Arizona; and create the potential to advance/expand environmental benefits on the CRIT reservation.
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CRIT Irrigation System Modernization
Established in 1865, the Colorado River Indian Reservation was set aside for indigenous residents of the Colorado River and its tributaries. Today, the Reservation includes approximately 300,000 acres of lands and is primarily home to four distinct tribes – the Mohave, Chemehuevi, Hopi, and Navajo. The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) have territory that stretches along 56 miles of lower Colorado River lands with the majority of their reservation located in Arizona.
In an addition to our 2022 CRIT Irrigation Modernization project, CRIT will expand in installing precision drip irrigation on CRIT agricultural lands. The drip irrigation will replace the current flood irrigation system for alfalfa and cotton production. Drip irrigation is an efficient irrigation method compared to conventional flood irrigation and is expected to reduce water withdrawn from the Colorado River for farming on CRIT lands by 25-50%. Additionally, the improved irrigation is expected to produce a 10% increase in crop yield.