The Colorado River Water Users’ Association ended last week with an agreement to find more ways to conserve water.

But this year’s conference included tribal perspectives.

Input from Arizona’s tribal nations has been a critical piece of the puzzle in finding a way through the water shortage.

With more than 500 registered tribes in the country, it’s impossible to summarize all their ideas about water.

Maria Dadgar of the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona was one of the presenters at the conference.

She said they do share some beliefs, including the idea that water is essential and that water sources are sacred. They also have common ground on the idea of healthy rivers.

“They have a belief that we share in common and that is that the health of the people correlates with the health of the river,” Dadgar said.

She says the tribes will have a major role when the Colorado River Compact expires in 2026.