2007 Idaho Climate and Water Forecast Workshop

							2007 Idaho Climate and Water
     Forecast Workshop

Sponsored by: Climate Impacts Group at
the University of Washington and the
Idaho Department of Water Resources
      Eastern Snake River Plain
               Aquifer
   Conjunctive Management Rules,Supreme
    Court decision.
   ESPA Comprehensive Planning Process.
   2007 administration and Mitigation.
   Other Stuff.
              SCR 136

“These (disputing) parties are negotiating a
  framework for settlement that makes it
   critical that the State of Idaho Water
  Resource Board establish public policy
 with regard to the future management of
             the aquifer system”
            First Phase

Development of a “Framework Plan”
which was presented to, approved and
funded by the 2007 Legislature.
         Second Phase

Development of a comprehensive
management plan was authorized by HCR
28 and funded by HB320.
                     Scope
   Process to be open to public.
   Plan to be comprehensive but have sideboards.
   Plan Framework should include interim measures
    that can be implemented before final plan.
   Plan should address; Aquifer management goals
    and level of management to adjust demand and
    legally useable supply.
     Preliminary Approach
The Board has determined that the most
effective way to engage the public, affected
parties to ongoing litigation and
stakeholder groups is to formulate a series
of Aquifer Management Alternatives which
will be based on adjusting or balancing
water demand and legally and
administratively available supply.
     Specific Approach (cont’d)
   Include specific measures and techniques
    that can be used to accomplish the desired
    water budget adjustments.
   Costs for implementation of the various
    management levels will be determined.
   Initial evaluation of the state and local
    economic cost/benefit of the alternatives
    will be undertaken.
           Specific Approach
   Adaptive mechanisms to quantify progress
    and adjust implementation measures to be
    incorporated.
   Funding mechanisms, including
    development of a fee structure, to support
    selected management alternatives.
         Management Alternatives
   Managed Recharge
   Incidental Recharge
   Site-Specific Augmentation
   Additional Surface Water Storage and
    Weather Modification
   Conversions – Groundwater to Surface Water
   Exchange for water acquired or leased from
    below Milner.
Goal for Aquifer Management
Sustain the economic viability
and social and environmental
health of the Eastern Snake
Plain by adaptively managing
a balance between water use
and supplies.
    Objectives for Aquifer Management
   Increase predictability for water users by
    managing for reliable supply
   Create alternatives to administrative
    curtailment
   Manage overall demand for water within the
    Eastern Snake Plain
   Increase recharge to the aquifer
   Reduce withdrawals from the aquifer
    CAMP Development Process
   Board solicited nominations and formed
    Advisory Committee
   Committee makes consensus
    recommendations to the Board
   Committee works with ESHMC and Board
    staff, contracting for technical assistance as
    required
     Advisory Committee Representatives
   Municipalities (2) Plus Alternates
   Business (1)
   Land developers (1)
   Surface water users (3)
   Groundwater users (3)
   Spring water users (1)
   Hydropower (1)
   Domestic well owners (1)
   Environmental (1)
   Mixed-Use (1)
   County Assessors (1)
    Government Agency Ex-Officio
   Bureau of Reclamation
   Idaho Department of Water Resources
   Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
   Idaho Department of Fish and Game
   US Fish and Wildlife Service
   Idaho Water Resource Research Institute
                CAMP Progress
   Committee has established Operating Protocols.
   Quantitative Goals sub-committee formed.
   Committee is scheduled to meet monthly for 14 months.
   Committee to have recommendations to Water Board by
    Summer 2008.
   Board will draft plan and hold public meetings Summer
    and Fall 2008.
   Final ESPA Comprehensive Aquifer Management Plan to
    be submitted to Legislature January 2009.
         ESPA 2007 Mitigation
   Began discussions in early 2007 with water users
    concerning what options may be employed to
    mitigate potential water shortages to senior users.
   As year progressed water supply tanked and
    Supreme Court ruled on conjunctive management
    rules.
   Continued meeting with affected water users to
    try and negotiate a deal to allow the junior users
    to operate.
       2007 Mitigation (cont’d)
   After Supreme Court ruling and failure to reach
    consensus on solution Director moved ahead with
    Orders issued in 2005.
   Warning letters were sent to affected Junior users.
   Mitigation was proposed by Dairy industry, Food
    processors and Ground water users. Director
    found the mitigation plans acceptable based on
    estimated impact to senior water rights.
            Other ESPA STUFF
   Hearings are being scheduled for on-going litigation.
   Retired Supreme Court Justice Schroeder has been hired
    as Hearing Officer for these delivery call cases.
   Director has requested that parties who have documented
    interest in the Milner Hydropower water right application
    provide information that may be helpful to him before he
    makes a final decision on licensing the water right.
   Technical studies including RFP for Weather
    Modification.
W-Canal Recharge Project
   Managed Recharge major component in Eastern
    Snake water budget redistribution.
   Done additional technical studies and found that
    injection wells are necessary to achieve goals.
   Declined BOR 2025 Grant Application because
    of operational constraints required by NOAA
    Fish.
   Moving ahead with a pilot effort which will
    include establishing water treatment methods and
    injection rates.
    Interim Legislative Committee
   Presentation given in July meeting that
    summarized water management issues around
    state in particular areas where we have potential
    or are experiencing conjunctive management
    issues.
   Requested a proposal that included prioritized
    schedule and funding requirements for aquifer
    study and planning to be considered by Governor
    and Legislature.
Aquifer Study Basins Proposed
   Lower Boise/Treasure      Bear River
    Valley                    Teton
   Rathdrum Prairie          Big Lost
   Big Wood                  Portneuf
   Moscow-Pullman            Blackfoot
   Mountain Home
       North Idaho Adjudication
   First phase of adjudication authorized by
    legislature.
   IDWR has been moving ahead with preparation,
    technical design and acquisition of computer
    hardware and software.
   Late local resistance to moving ahead has resulted
    in a delay of the actual claims taking process.
    Director and staff continue to hold information
    meetings to explain the adjudication effort.
Questions ?