Queen Creek begins receiving Colorado River water transfer
Town-officials in Queen Creek celebrated Wednesday that the East Valley suburb would begin receiving a share of Colorado River water, five years after it green-lit the purchase.
The town will receive 2,033 acre-feet of fourth-priority Colorado River water annually.
Water that was used to irrigate 485 acres of farmland in Cibola in eastern Arizona now will supply nearly 6,100 households in Queen Creek.
Queen Creek made a one-time payment of $24 million to GSC Farm LLC for the annual entitlement.
“We made the strategic decision to reduce our reliance on groundwater in a way that is cost effective to our residents and future generations,” Queen Creek Mayor Julia Wheatly said at Wednesday’s news conference.
The controversial water-rights deal prompted Mohave County, La Paz County, Yuma County and the city of Yuma to file a complaint against the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in December. The entitles sought the court to declare that the department had “violated (the National Environment Policy Act) and the (Administrative Procedures Act)” and that the final environmental assessment “failed to take a hard look at the environmental impacts of the transfer.”
The U.S. District Court in Arizona decided that Mohave County and La Paz County had no standing in their complaint, Paul Gardner, the town’s utilities director told The Arizona Republic. Yuma County and the city of Yuma may continue with their complaint, but it would not affect the Queen Creek's ability to receive its water allocation, he said.
The water will be delivered through the Central Arizona Project canal, which runs along the Town’s eastern border. Gardner said the town's proximity to CAP's canal system makes it easier for it to go after water deals like this.
The Cibola water-transfer is the first step in Queen Creek’s strategy to reduce its reliance of groundwater and move towards becoming a designated water provider by 2030. To receive that designation, it would allow the town to prove it has a 100-year supply of water for any new development instead of requiring each developer to apply for its own certificate of assured water supply.
The designation has become critical for cities like Queen Creek after Gov. Katie Hobbs announced Arizona Department of Water Resources would not issue certificates of assured water supply to developments solely reliant on groundwater.
Queen Creek, which is 70 square miles and about 70% built out, has water certificates for 92% of its land, Gardner told the Arizona Republic in June.
“The Town is continuing to evaluate additional renewable supplies, including Harquahala water and participating in the study to raise Bartlett Dam. Water is a finite resource, and we will continue to do our part to diversify our supply,” he said.
The Harquahala groundwater basin is an untapped water source, west of Phoenix. Both Buckeye and Queen Creek are seeking the state's approval to pump out water from the aquifer there.
Queen Creek is also in the process of acquiring permits and beginning construction for three new water recharge facilities to pump back its treated wastewater into the aquifer.
Gardner has been there since the beginning of the town’s water company in 1985 which has grown from 500 customers to more than 40,000. Queen Creek is home to more than 66,000 residents and is estimated to reach 125,000 residents once the town is fully developed.
Reporter Maritza Dominguez covers Mesa and Gilbert and can be reached at maritza.dominguez@arizonarepublic.com or 480-271-0646. Follow her on Twitter @maritzacdom.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Queen Creek pays $24 million for Colorado River water transfer