CAP seeks 680 million gallons of Colorado River water

About 240 miles from Lake Havasu City, Queen Creek could receive an economic impact of about $300 million by transferring more than 680 million gallons of its Colorado River water to CAP, based on estimates by Queen Creek officials. The town of 30,000 people, located southeast of Phoenix, wants to purchase 2,083 acre-feet of Colorado River rights from GSC Farms in the La Paz town of Cibola.

Those officials filed an application with the Arizona Department of Water Resources this week to transfer those water rights to CAP, according to Mohave County Water Authority officials. Now water authority representatives are calling on Mohave County and La Paz County residents to oppose the proposed transfer.

“A year and a half ago, the CAP considered other water transfers from the Colorado River in Quartzsite and from the (Mohave Valley Irrigation and Drainage District),” said Bullhead City Councilman and Mohave County Water Authority Chairman Mark Clark. “We fought those attempts, and we were successful.”

According to Clark, Queen Creek officials have stated that the transfer could generate a $300 million economic impact in the form of commercial development and new homes built through the proposed transfer. Clark, however, believes the region’s Colorado River supply may be too high a price to pay.

“It’s water that would be taken away from the Colorado River’s main stem, and an economic benefit taken away from the river communities. Does Central Arizona think it’s more deserving of that economic benefit than rural Arizona?”

The Mohave County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to discuss the issue at their next meeting on Monday, with motion by Supervisor Gary Watson to oppose the permanent transfer of water rights or allocations to any entity in Central Arizona. If the resolution is passed, a copy will be sent to the mayor and city council of Queen Creek, Gov. Ducey, federal and state legislators, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources and La Paz-based GSC Farm.

Earlier this week, the La Paz County Board of Supervisors held a view similar to that of Mohave County officials in opposing GSC’s proposed transfer.

“We want to use the Colorado River water for our development, not Maricopa County’s,” said La Paz County Supervisor Holly Irwin at the meeting.

The Arizona Department of Water Resources will hold three hearings on the potential transfer of water to Central Arizona.

The first of those hearings will take place in Bullhead City Nov. 20, at the Bullhead City Council Chambers. The second hearing will take place in Parker later that evening, at the Parker Public Library.