Idaho Department of Water Resources

The board meeting will cover various topics including updates from the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute, the status of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, and procedures for water rental pools in districts 63 and 65. The agenda also includes discussions on water supply, IDWR modeling and monitoring, the grant program, Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer recharge, the cloud seeding program, administrative rules, and potential legislation of interest.

The board meeting focused on the review and discussion of the Upper Snake River Basin Study. Key actions included approving modifications to the study's map legend and identifying specific tributaries before authorizing staff to submit the updated document to the Bureau of Reclamation. Additionally, the Board received a brief report regarding the upcoming Governor's Water Meeting.

The committee meeting covered a range of water sustainability and efficiency topics, including the development of a draft sustainability policy and a potential water sustainability and efficiency grant program. Discussions also included water sustainability of the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESPA), water efficiency strategies for the Moscow/Palouse Aquifer, and a presentation on evapotranspiration trends due to crop-mix changes. Furthermore, the meeting reviewed various water conservation and efficiency strategies, such as urban water demand reduction and the implementation of best practices for municipal water conservation.

The Finance Committee reviewed the Idaho Department of Water Resources budget update and the Water Management Account spending plan. The agenda included proposals for regional water sustainability projects from the Aberdeen-Springfield Canal Company, the Little Wood River Irrigation District, the Raft River, and the Minidoka Irrigation District, as well as a loan request from the Farmers Land & Irrigation Company.

The meeting convened after a joint presentation by the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) to the Committee of Nine (Co9) and the Idaho Water Resource Board's (IWRB) Upper Snake River Advisory Committee (USRAC). The joint presentation covered Upper Snake water operations, history, supply projections, and power impacts. Following the USBR presentation, the USRAC meeting officially began. Key discussions included an update on water supply conditions based on Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) and precipitation data, with projections suggesting the snowpack would likely be above normal. The Watermaster for Water District 01 provided a briefing on basin conditions and potential Jackson Lake operations. New business centered on initiating spring recharge operations in the Milner-Gooding canal and diverting water through Murtaugh Lake. The next meeting was scheduled for early April.