Eastern Idaho Water Users Ordered to Cut Back Consumption for Magic Valley

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (AP) — Idaho water regulators have ordered 160 eastern Idaho groundwater users to cut back their consumption.

The Post Register reports  that the Idaho Department of Water Resources on Wednesday announced a curtailment order that will go into effect June 3 and will shift water rights over many upstream users to the Surface Water Coalition, a group of Magic Valley irrigators with senior water rights.

Groundwater users who have not signed onto a mitigation plan will be affected by the order, including the cities of Roberts and Shelley, Idahoan Foods, J.R. Simplot, Jefferson County Parks and Recreation, Walters Ready Mix, USA Fertilizer and many others. Last month Idaho Falls and a number of other cities negotiated a mitigation plan to avoid the curtailment while still limiting water use.