Water Management in Idaho. 188 th Meeting, Western States Water Council October 25 th 26th, 2018 Coeur d Alene, Idaho

Transcription

1 Water Management in Idaho 188 th Meeting, Western States Water Council October 25 th 26th, 2018 Coeur d Alene, Idaho

2 Presentation Overview 1. Welcome 2. Introduction to Idaho 3. Introduction to the IDWR and the IWRB 4. State Wide Water Resource Issues 5. Overview of Local Water Resource Issues by Region Crystal Springs, 2018

3 Idaho Water Facts State Water Surface Area Number of Lakes Largest and Deepest Lake Pend Oreille Miles of Streams and Rivers Longest River Snake River Average Annual Precipitation Annual Stream Inflow to State Annual Stream Outflow to State Irrigated Acres of the State Total Farmed Acres of the State Active Reservoir Storage Capacity Total Land Area Federal Land Ownership State/County/City Land Ownership Private Land Ownership 880 Square Miles More than Square Miles, >1,100 Feet) 93,000 Miles 779 Miles Varies <10 to >60 Inches ~37 Million Acre-Feet ~75 Million Acre-Feet 3.4 Million Acres 12 Million Acres 12,384,000 Acre-Feet 83,557 Square Miles 63.8% 5.2% 31.0%

4 How Water is Put to Work in Idaho Idaho water withdrawals by source and category, USGS Fact Sheet

5 IDAHO Top 10 Idaho Ag. Commodities 1. Milk 6. Sugarbeets 2. Cows 7. Barley 3. Potatoes 8. Corn 4. Hay 9. Bean 5. Wheat 10. Hops

6 Mapping Evapotranspiration

7 Climate Change

8 Climate Change

9

10 Mission & Vision The Idaho Department of Water Resources mission is to serve the citizens of Idaho by ensuring that water is conserved and available for the sustainability of Idaho s economy, ecosystems, and resulting quality of life. To achieve excellence in water management through innovation, efficiency, planning, and communication.

11 Agency Authorities Idaho Dept. of Water Resources (IDWR) Director Appointed by Governor Idaho Water Resource Board (IWRB) Members appointed by Governor & confirmed by Senate Water rights administration Delivery of water per water rights Stream Channel Protection Ground Water Protection Other regulatory functions Water planning Water projects and project financing Water Supply Bank Minimum stream flow water rights Problem solving Shared Staff

12 Idaho Dept. of Water Resources (IDWR) Director Appointed by Governor Issue new WRs Process Transfers to permanently change existing WR Process WSB leases and rentals to temporarily change existing WRs Support Water Districts and resident rental pools Administer and enforce water use consistent with elements of a WR Administer and curtail water use during times of shortage Collect/Archive/Publish water resource data Support IWRB through staffing Idaho Water Resource Board (IWRB) Members appointed by Governor & confirmed by Senate Modify State Water Plan Develop CAMPs Carry out studies: water supply and future needs assessments; storage project feasibility analysis; recharge feasibility and site analysis Construct, maintain, and operate water sustainability projects (e.g. recharge, pipelines, dams) Commission Tools to support water administration and planning e.g. Treasure Valley Ground Water Flow Model Development

13 State Wide Issues

14 National Flood Insurance Program 1968 National Flood Insurance Act 1970 s Individual Idaho communities join NFIP 1998 Idaho State Disaster Preparedness Act 2010 Idaho amends statutes to exempt operation, maintenance, cleaning, and repair activities associated with irrigation and drainage ditches 2012 FEMA threatens state-wide NFIP suspension 2017 FEMA again threatens state-wide suspension June 2018 Idaho prepares state-wide guidance

15 National Flood Insurance Program Development means any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including but not limited to buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation of drilling operations or storage of equipment or materials. 44 CFR 59.1

16 Snake River Basin Adjudication by the Numbers Petition Filed June 17, 1987 Commenced Nov 19, 1987 Final Decree Signed Aug 25, 2015 Partial Decrees 158,591 Contested Subcases 43,822 Idaho Supreme Court Decisions 36 U.S. Supreme Court Decisions 1 Reserved WR Settlements 8 Final SRBA Unified Decree, C. Strong.

17 Regulating Water Right Diversions Water Districts Director of IDWR has the authority to divide the state into water districts for purposes of administering water rights. (Chapter 6, Title 42, Idaho Code). Watermasters are elected by local water users. Water users elect advisory board members, made up of local water users. The board guides and advises the watermaster and proposes budgets and resolutions for the district. Water users adopt an annual budget and pay watermaster through assessments calculated based on proportionate share of the total amount of water diverted. Rangen Delivery Call Pipeline, 2015.

18 Swan Falls Dam Map Source: Managing Conflict: Lessons Learned from Idaho Snake River Basin Adjudication, Delta Stewardship Council

19 State Water Plan - Sustainability At the request of Governor Otter, IWRB has developed a proposed change to the Idaho State Water Plan through the addition of a new Sustainability section. The proposed Sustainability section is the result of a robust public involvement process. Sustainability focuses on the overall stewardship of the State s water resources for the good of the people of the State of Idaho. Definition Sustainability is the active stewardship of Idaho s water resources to satisfy current uses and assure future uses of this renewable resource in accordance with State law and policy. Web Resource:

20 Aquifer Sustainability Practices Managed Recharge o State Sponsored (natural flow) o Private (storage and natural flow) Voluntary Reduction in Consumption Conversion Projects o GWD Projects o A&B ID Project Cloud Seeding Hazelton Butte Pump Station, Fall recharge Main North Side Canal, Operating End Gun, Fort Hall 2012.

21 Regional Issues

22 Northern Idaho Adjudication Recreational Dredge Mining Aquifer Studies o Lewiston Plateau o Palouse Basin Priest Lake Improvements Northern Region

23 Northern Idaho Adjudication Phase 1 Coeur d Alene Spokane River Basin Adjudication (CRSBA), Basins Phase 2 Palouse River Basin Adjudication (PRBA), Basin 87 Phase 3 Clark Fork Pend Oreille River Basin Adjudication (CFPRB), Basins 96 97

24 History of CSRBA July 3, 2008 The Attorney General filed the petition for a general adjudication of water rights within the Coeur d Alene- Spokane River drainage CRSBA Status as of Sept. 8, 2018 November 12, 2008 The order commencing the CSRBA was signed January 2009 Began mailing commencement notices to property owners within the Coeur d Alene-Spokane River drainage *Preliminary Director s Report sent to claimants in October Public meetings scheduled for Oct , 2018.

25 Recreational Dredging Letter Permits Resident Non-Resident Recreational Dredge Mining on the SF Clearwater River,

26 Water Right Processing Trust Water Rights Water supply studies o New Surface Water Storage o TV Recharge Feasibility Study Treasure Valley Ground Water Model Development Refill Settlement Western Region

27 Transfers/WSB Applications Trust Water Rights Conjunctive Management Settlement Agreements Water Districts Southern Region

28 Transfers/WSB Applications Conjunctive Management Settlement Agreements Water Districts Bear Lake Water Rights Idaho Water Transactions Program Eastern Region

29 Idaho Water Transactions Program Upper Salmon River Basin Area: Upper Salmon including Lemhi R. and Pahsimeroi Trigger: NOAA Fisheries decision in 2001 to begin enforcement action against local landowners for death of three salmon caused by irrigation de-watering on the Lemhi R. Drivers: ESA listings; 2004 Snake River Water Rights (Nez Perce) Settlement; BPA Idaho Accords Commitments: o Lemhi River Flow Target (L-6 Diversion) 35 CFS March 1 June CFS July 1 November 30 o 10 Tributary reconnections

30 Progress Towards Obligations Lemhi River Flow Targets (L-6 Gage) 9 Permanent Subordination Agreements: CFS 6 Annual Agreements: CFS 2 Long Term Agreements: 3.56 CFS

31 Progress Towards Obligations Tributary Reconnections 2018 Fully Reconnected Tributaries 1. Bohannan Creek 2. Wimpy Creek 3. Pratt Creek 4. Kenney Creek 5. Lee Creek 6. Lemhi Little Springs Cr. 7. Big Timber Creek 8. Canyon Creek Mile Creek 2018 Partially Reconnected Tributaries 1. Hawley Creek

32 Big Timber Creek Tributary Reconnection

33 ~$9.067 Million to date

34 Cumulative Storage Change (million acre-feet) Discharge (cfs) ESPA Volume of Water and Thousand Springs Discharge Calculated Thousand Springs Discharge ESPA Cumulative Volume Change (AF) 7,000 6,700 6,400 6, , , , , , , ,000

35 ESPA Cumulative Aquifer Storage Change (million acre-feet) Cumulative Change in Aquiver Volume vs. ESPA Delivery Calls D.C.* Conj. Mgt. Rules SWC D.C. Musser D.C. A&B D.C st Rangen D.C. 2 nd Rangen D.C. B. Wood/L. Wood D.C. D.C.** 2 *2005: Billingsley Creek Ranch, Blue Lakes, Clear Springs (x2), John Jones **2012: Jones, Lee, Lyncliff Farms, and Seapac of Idaho Years

36 Active Delivery Calls: SWC Delivery Call Rangen Delivery Call Resolved Delivery Calls: Blue Lakes Seapac Clear Springs Lee A&B Jones Seapac Lyncliff Big Wood/Little Wood Water Users Rangen Delivery Call Pipeline, 2015.

37 IGWA - Long-Term Obligations 240,000 ac-ft reduction in GW use 250,000 ac-ft of recharge by State 50,000 ac-ft of storage to SWC annually Continue existing conversions Shorten irrigation season (Apr 1 Oct 31) Measuring devices by 2018 Review IDWR transfer processes on ESPA

38 Cities/IGWA/SWC Settlement Agreement Key Provisions Cities will provide 7,650 af/y through aquifer enhancement activities o Agreed upon aquifer enhancements receive a 1:1 credit Delivery of water to IWRB for recharge Recharge of ESPA by the Cities 50% above Great Rift Ground water to surface water conversions, temporary or permanent dry ups, or other activities agreed to by the parties Cities obligation will increase to 9,640 af/y if IGWA s obligation increases from 240,000 af/y to 340,000 af/y Volumes are based on a 5-year rolling average Cities will annually provide a minimum of 1,000 acre-feet

39 Cities/IGWA/SWC Settlement Agreement Key Provisions Safe harbor from SWC and/or IGWA delivery calls Compliance is measured by the 5-year rolling average volumes, not the sentinel wells Agreement is good for 35 years or when total ESPA municipal pumping equals 120,000 acre-feet, whichever occurs first Agreement covers all ESPA municipal pumping, not just the 16 cities before you today Any ESPA city may join The 16 cities will withdraw objection to ESPA GWMA designation Cities will support continued funding of state-sponsored managed recharge of the ESPA

40 Year 1 IGWA Performance Summary (275,000 acre-feet)

41 Year 2 IGWA Performance Summary (530,000 acre-feet)

42

43 SWSI 2017 = 3.5 SWSI 2018 = 2.3

44 Our Work is Not Done 1. Expand and support existing Water Districts (e.g. WD 100) o Enforce current measurement orders 2. Create new Water Districts (e.g. WD29D, WD29H) 3. Administer existing delivery calls (e.g. SWC, Rangen) 4. Manage and administer existing GWMAs and CGWAs 5. Finalize the designation of the ESPA GWMA o Status Conference January 2019 o Advisory Committee o Ground Water Management Plan ( GWMP )

45 Why Do We Need an ESPA GWMA? 1. A Ground Water Management Area ( GWMA ) designation changes the administrative focus from injury determinations for individual water users (symptoms) to the ground water resource as a whole (illness) 2. GWMA tools: (1) comprehensive management plans; (2) required measurement and reporting; and (3) restriction on new applications when there is insufficient water 3. GWMA s require participation by all ground water users 4. No more year-to-year curtailment uncertainty w/ the SWC Delivery Call 5. The designation of a GWMA and the adoption of a GWMP will: (1) lesson the likelihood of future delivery calls; and (2) support the achievement of the water resource goals identified by the ESPA CAMP, the State Water Plan, and the Settlements discussed here today

46 Measurement Device Installation 2015 SWC-IGWA Settlement Agreement o 3.d. Mandatory Measurement Requirement Installation of approved closed conduit flowmeter on all remaining unmeasured and power consumptive coefficient (PCC) measured ground water diversions will be completed by the beginning of the 2018 irrigation season. Measurement device installation will be phased in over three years, by ground water district, in a sequence determined by the parties (July 22) ESPA IDWR Measurement Device Order o Order mailed to over 3,000 water users affecting over 5,000 PODs o Exempt: dom/stock (42-111); irrigation <5 ac; & non-irrigation <0.24 cfs o Installation: (1) non-irrigation by 1/1/18; and (2) irrigation by 4/1/18

47 Measurement Order Compliance 84% Compliance Official IDWR and WMIS Records 97% Compliance based on field inspections, Watermaster records, and GWD records What is known: o Not all data has been entered into WMIS o Variances are still being submitted and processed o Final tally will come into focus during meter readings this fall and next spring

48 Curtailment/Enforcement Efforts First Curtailment Notice o Issued July 31, 2018 o 33 wells received curtailment notice o 5 wells curtailed o Remaining wells avoided curtailment through approved variances, extension, meter installation, or partial WR abandonment Second Curtailment Notice o Issued August 31, 2018 o 91 wells received curtailment notice o 19 wells curtailed o Remaining wells avoided curtailment similar to first round

49 Questions and/or Discussion? Shoshone Fall, March