The Colorado River is important to many Native American communities in the Grand Canyon National Park area. For over 12,000 years the river has been important source of water, food, resources, and life for the Native Americans. The Native Americans used the Colorado River for the development of agriculture and to fortify the canyon and their lives in the Canyon.
Contemporary Havasupai, Hopi, Hualapai, Paiute, Navajo, Yavapai-Apache, and Zuni Tribes are part of the Intertribal Council of Arizona that own more than one-third of the Colorado River. These tribes are also active in the decisions and discussions regarding the uses of the Colorado River. The Colorado River was also used as a method of transportation.