IDWR pauses water curtailment inspections due to “substantial progress” made in settlement negotiations
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IDAHO FALLS — The governing body on water management in Idaho has put a pause on inspections to recognize progress made in ongoing negotiations between ground and surface water users.
Throughout the last week, the Idaho Department of Water Resources has been putting red tags on many ground wells in eastern Idaho saying users are now subject to a water curtailment order. However, on Thursday, June 13, the department paused inspections on those pumps because there’s been “substantial progress” made between the groundwater districts and surface water users.
“The Department hopes the parties can finalize an agreement,” said Shelley Keen, IDWR Deputy Director in a news release announcing the pause. “If the parties finalize an agreement, ground water district members will be protected from curtailment.”
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The curtailment order was put in place on May 30 for junior water rights users in Bonneville, Bingham, Jefferson and Clark counties, after the department projected senior water rights users in the Twin Falls Canal Company could face a water shortage of 74,100 acre-feet.
Idaho law gives senior waters rights users priority against the junior water rights users when water shortages happen.
In order to avoid curtailment in times of shortages, groundwater users have to participate in a state groundwater mitigation plan, which aims to recharge the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer and reverse the decades long decline in its water supply.
The department says groundwater users in these four counties not been in compliance with the mitigation plan, which has led to the curtailment, which could affect up to 500,000 acres in eastern Idaho.
If the current negotiations lead to a settlement, the department does not anticipate pursuing further enforcement actions with any groundwater users who follow the mitigation plan for the rest of the irrigation season.
While conducting field inspections on groundwater users, IDWR said they found that “many” had complied with the curtailment order and had stopped irrigating. Staff completed inspections on about 60% of the curtailed wells, and they didn’t turn off any or have to physically stop anyone from irrigating.
This announcement comes at a time when some organizations have declared support for the groundwater users.
Paul Baker, president and CEO of the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce published an open letter to Gov. Brad Little this week asking him to intervene and make sure the negotiations are resolved soon.
“The curtailment order, which is causing hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland to dry up, has unspeakable economic consequences for the entire state, with eastern Idaho bearing the brunt,” Baker said.
Baker said banking industry members have received distressed calls from groundwater users dealing with financial uncertainties brought on the the order.
“Agriculture is the backbone of our community and economy; its survival is essential for the vibrancy and protection of our communities from future curtailments,” Baker said.
The Bonneville County Commission passed a resolution calling on Little to direct the IDWR to “put a stay” on the current water call from the Twin Falls Canal Company and “find reasonable and long-term solutions to the complex issue of water management in Idaho.”
The IDWR said if settlement discussions are not successful, it will have to resume curtailment enforcement as required by Idaho state law.
“If the department must resume curtailment enforcement, the department will do so only after full communication with affected groundwater users and the public,” read the press release.