Idaho Department of Water Resources

The meeting agenda was rearranged to place public comment after the basin study discussion, at the request of Mr. Murdoch. The primary discussion focused on the Upper Snake River Basin study proposal, which is currently in draft form and due March 9th. The team provided an update on the background and process since September 2025, including receiving notice that their initial letter of interest was recommended for consideration. They presented the revised proposal outline, schedule, and budget, developed after consulting with Reclamation staff. The estimated timeline is four years, with a total budget of $4.65 million ($1.65 million from Reclamation and $3 million from the board). Board members discussed details, including the inclusion of the Teton River in the study area and commented positively on the realism of the timeline and budget, despite their magnitude. Following public comment from Mr. Murdoch, who questioned the cost-share discrepancy (noting Reclamation's contribution covers only staff time, while the board's budget includes third-party facilitators and technical consultants), the Board voted to accept the proposal with minor noted corrections and authorized its submission to the Bureau of Reclamation. The meeting concluded with announcements regarding upcoming water-related meetings and adjournment.

The Upper Snake River Advisory Committee Meeting agenda covered introductions and attendance, the weather forecast from NOAA, snow pack and streamflow forecasts from NRCS, and a water supply and operations update from USBR. Further discussions included briefings from Idaho Power Company and Water District 01, an update on IWRB Managed Recharge Operations, and new business before adjournment. Specific updates included Mark Dallon's weather summary, Erin Whorton's precipitation and snowpack forecast, Brian Stevens' reservoir storage and operations update, Jennifer Cuhaciyan's power generation update, and Craig Chandler's briefing on reservoir storage carryover and IWRB diversion priorities. Neal Farmer provided a recap of recharge activities in the Lower Basin for the 2025-2026 season.

The Upper Snake River Advisory Committee Meeting agenda included discussions and updates on the Weather Forecast from NOAA, Snow Pack/Streamflow Forecasts from NRCS (which was not presented due to a Federal shutdown), Water Supply/Operations Update from USBR regarding reservoir storage and operations outlook, an update from Idaho Power Company concerning power generation and fall Chinook spawning, a briefing from Water District 01 on the 2025 irrigation season and reservoir storage carryover, and a recap of the IWRB Managed Recharge Program operations for the 2025-2026 season. There was no New Business listed.

The agenda for this special board meeting centered on the Upper Snake River Basin Study Proposal for the Bureau of Reclamation's WaterSMART program. Key discussion items included the overview and design of the Basin Study, the study management plan, specific basin study tasks, milestones, schedule, and costs. The proposal details the critical nature of the Upper Snake River Basin and Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESPA) system to regional economy and water security, noting existing supply/demand imbalances exacerbated by climate change and population growth. The planned study approach involves leveraging existing models like ESPAM and RiverWare to project future conditions and evaluate adaptation/mitigation strategies, such as managed recharge, demand reduction, storage opportunities, and conducting trade-off analyses.

This WaterSMART Basin Study proposal addresses water supply and demand imbalances in the Upper Snake River Basin. It encompasses the Snake River Basin upstream of Milner Dam, including the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESPA), and focuses on assessing current and future hydrologic conditions, evaluating existing infrastructure, and developing adaptation strategies. The study aims to improve system reliability, enhance drought resilience, support conjunctive water management for diverse uses (irrigation, municipal, industrial, environmental, hydropower), and provide a technical foundation for future planning and investment decisions.