PHOENIX - The Bureau of Reclamation announced today the issuance of a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) evaluating the effects of the proposed assignment and transfer of water from GSC Farm, LLC (GSC Farm) to the Town of Queen Creek (Queen Creek).
The proposed action includes the partial assignment and transfer of 2,033.01 acre-feet per year (AFY) of GSC Farm’s Arizona fourth priority Colorado River water entitlement to Queen Creek. Queen Creek has a Central Arizona Project (CAP) municipal and industrial water subcontract for 495 AFY with the United States and the Central Arizona Water Conservation District.
To convey a Colorado River water entitlement to entities within its service area, requires that Queen Creek have a CAP wheeling contract. The proposed transfer would entail a change in the place of use (from GSC Farm located in the Cibola Valley Irrigation and Drainage District to Queen Creek), change in the type of use (from agricultural to domestic), and change in the point of diversion from the Cibola Valley Irrigation and Drainage District to the Mark Wilmer Pumping Plant for conveyance through the CAP to Queen Creek.
Under the proposed action, pursuant to the Boulder Canyon Project Act of 1928, Reclamation, would enter a new Colorado River water delivery contract with Queen Creek, amend the existing Colorado River water delivery contract between Reclamation and GSC Farm, and enter into a new federal wheeling contract authorizing the conveyance of Queen Creek’s Colorado River water entitlement through the CAP.
The public will have the opportunity to review and comment on the draft EA by providing comments via mail, email, or web-based comment during the 30-day public review period.
Written comments on the EA will be accepted through close of business April 15, 2022, and should be submitted to: Bureau of Reclamation, (ATTN: GSC-QC Water Transfer EA), 6150 West Thunderbird Road, Glendale, Arizona, 85306, or emailed to: proposedwatertransfer@usbr.gov, or submitted online through: www.gscfarmqckwatertransfer.com.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
