aquifer

If you follow historical cycles, then you realize we’re possibly near an end.

The water level in an Idaho aquifer increased 1.7 million acre-feet (2.1 billion cubic-meters) over last year.

It does appear many of the issues facing the legislature are brought about by the state’s rapidly growing population.

While budget cuts have forced cutbacks in such things as dam safety in the state, another project is taking priority…aquifer recharge.  Yesterday members of the Idaho Water Resource Board told the Joint Finance Appropriations Committee that they want to implement a plan to provide $1.5-million dollars over the next five years to pay canal companies to put water back into the Eastern Snake Plain Aq

Idaho’s water prognosticators are trying to be optimistic even though the snowpack in Idaho is way below last year.  Water supply specialist Ron Abramovich says snowpack around the state is down considerably from last year and is considerably below average.

Another round of water recharge has been approved to help replenish the Snake River Plain Aquifer.  The Idaho Water Resource Board met last week and approved nearly $133,000 to fund over 44,000 acre-feet of recharge.

The Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer that supplies underground water to a large portion of southern Idaho continues to be depleted but measures being taken to reverse the trend seem to be few and far between.

The plentiful snowpack throughout southern Idaho this year will pay an extra dividend…extra water for the aquifer recharge effort.  State officials say the plentiful water supply this year will allow canal companies to use some of that extra water in their efforts to recharge the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer.