It was cared for, not controlled. But that relationship was disrupted by land theft, water diversion, and relentless development. What remains is a river that has been neglected and abused, and a community that has been cut off from something sacred.

Today, the river runs through neighborhoods where Hispanic, Black, and urban Indigenous communities live with the consequences of environmental injustice. Pollution, poor infrastructure, and lack of access are not just technical problems. They are symptoms of deeper systems that have ignored and harmed people for generations. These communities are still fighting to be heard, still fighting to belong in decisions about the land and water that surrounds them.

The harm done to the Salt River is tied to the harm done to people. This is not just about environmental damage. It is about cultural loss, disconnection, and disempowerment. When Indigenous communities were pushed out and stripped of their water rights, they were also robbed of a deep part of who they are. That story continues today in the form of zoning, infrastructure, and planning that leaves communities vulnerable while others profit.

And yet, the Salt River still holds power. There is potential here for something more. Not just restoration, but healing. The idea of “waterback,” like the landback movement, invites us to think about what it would mean for communities to reclaim stewardship and connection. What if the future of the river was shaped by the people who know it best? What if care, relationship, and responsibility were the guiding forces?

This would require a major shift. We cannot keep using the same systems that caused the damage in the first place. Colonial frameworks, corporate development, and bureaucratic silos will not fix what they have broken. Instead, we need to turn toward community-led planning, Indigenous governance, and long-term investment in justice.

Healing the Salt River must come with healing the communities that live along it. That means sharing power. It means honoring knowledge that has been ignored. It means imagining a future where the river is not just a backdrop, but a vital part of how people live and thrive.

We don’t need more empty promises. We need action that is bold, creative, and rooted in care. The Salt River deserves more than survival. So do the people who call this place home.

Let’s move together toward a future where the Salt River flows with purpose and pride. A future where justice is not a side goal, but the foundation. A future we are brave enough to imagine and committed enough to build.