Swan Falls agreement signed by gov

S1167, S1169, S1185: Swan Falls and recharge: All signed by the Governor on 4/24/09 and effective on 7/01/09
All of these bills deal with one of a previous session’s contentious issues: the Swan Falls agreement that led to the state adjudication process and the issue of recharge of the aquifer.

The first requires the Idaho Water Resource Board approve any managed recharge project in excess of 10,000 acre feet annually. It also provides a public process for evaluating and balancing the effects of managed recharge.

S1169 confirms the limitations on the Idaho Public Utilities Commission that were part of the 1984 Swan Falls Settlement between the State and Idaho Power Company.

The last clarifies that the Swan Falls Agreement does not preclude use of water for aquifer recharge. It affirms that ground water recharge rights will be issued in compliance with Idaho law and the state water plan. The director may regulate methods of recharge to prevent conditions that are adverse to the beneficial use of water under existing water rights.