Bureau of Reclamation green lights Phoenix suburb’s plan to buy Colorado River water
Queen Creek received a long-awaited green light from the Bureau of Reclamation to finalize a controversial plan to buy water directly from farmland along the Colorado River. Driving the news: The Bureau of Reclamation on Friday issued a document known as a Finding of No Significant Impact for Queen Creek’s plan. It clears the way for the town and the bureau to sign contracts and finalize several other agreements for the water, which Queen Creek could begin receiving as early as January, utility director Paul Gardner tells Axios. … Why it matters: The agreement will help ensure a water supply for Queen Creek as it continues its rapid growth. Its population went from 26,361 in 2010 to 59,519 a decade later.