Yuma County and City of Yuma Participate in Joint Lawsuit Regarding Ongoing River Transfer

YUMA, Ariz. (KECY, KYMA) – Wednesday was the first public hearing in a lawsuit involving both the city of Yuma and Yuma County to try to stop Colorado River water from being diverted to central Arizona.

In December, both Yuma County and the city of Yuma joined lawsuits against the Bureau of Reclamation.

The problem is to move 2,000 acre feet of Colorado River water from La Paz County to Queen Creek in central Arizona.

Because their town council unanimously approved the $27 million purchase.

The first hearing in the case will take place in federal court on Wednesday.

Rep. Yuma made sure to attend the State Capitol.

“If people can make three to five times their investment in brokering water, that means selling rural Arizona. Without water, rural Arizona would disappear.” Yuma Mayor Doug Nichols said.

While the lawsuit is ongoing, local agencies such as the Yuma County Water Users Association continue to monitor all water that reaches us from the Colorado River.

Tom Davis has been with the Water Users Association for over ten years.

He said moving water isn’t a new idea, but it’s still a concern for rural Arizona areas like Yuma.

“The danger of that transfer is that it sets a priority for sending water that is a direct shunting right to the central part of the state,” Davis said.

In a legal exchange, Davis added that there is good news regarding Yuma’s water supply.

Due to strong winter snowfall from Colorado.

One season of snowfall may not be the long-term solution, but Davis says anything can help.

“Certainly, Lake Powell will look very different than it did in the last six to seven years,” said Davis.

No date has been set for the next hearing in the water transfer lawsuit.