Chris Bromley of the Idaho Department of Water Resources gave the interim Natural Resources committee an update on three water calls which have been under review. The first two, dealing with the A&B Irrigation District and the Surface Water Coalition of 7 southern Idaho districts have been resolved, with the Department stating that they will strive to be as timely as possible in deciding such cases in the future.
The subject of the third call presented before the committee was the resolution of a 2005 suit brought by the Snake River Farm hatchery and Clear Springs Foods near Hagerman, Idaho. The question before the department is whether a senior water rights holder can be forced to accept cash in lieu of water and stems from a legal dispute over groundwater pumping. As a result of this call the Department has issued a curtailment order targeting water rights holders after 1981 in a 9,000 acre area. According to the Idaho Statesman this order “marks the first time the State has followed through on an edict requiring the closure of wells that irrigate crops and supply cheese factories, cities and golf courses with water.” http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/853051.html.
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