Don’t worry, management of the Treasure Valley’s water supply is in very good hands | Opinion

The Idaho Statesman recently ran an article on water challenges facing the Treasure Valley. The article addresses three topics – future water supply, urban growth and water demand. It then asks whether water should be “reallocated” from agriculture to urban uses. In posing this question the article relies solely on two long-time advocates for taking water away from agriculture. Unfortunately, the authors did not inquire of anyone associated with irrigation water delivery systems or agricultural users for their perspective on this radical proposition. Hence this response.

The article suggests that the Treasure Valley is running out of water. Yet, as Dr. Petrich notes in the article “the Treasure Valley has better water supply options than many other arid Western cities.” Many efforts are being made to supplement and conserve our water supplies, only some of which are mentioned, including raising Anderson Ranch Dam, automating deliveries, and advancements in monitoring and measuring water use. Municipalities are investigating more restrictive conservation measures. Furthermore, agricultural users have adopted water conservation measures as a means of extending the reliability of our water resources.

Much of my concern is with the comments of the two advocates interviewed in the article. Their comments were presented while no actual water users or water managers who deal with these issues daily were consulted. As a result, the article inaccurately depicts how water is actually managed. For example:

1. The water right belongs to the landowner, not the irrigation district or canal company.
2. Water use in Idaho is governed by the Idaho Department of Water Resources and is measured when diverted from the river by the Water Master (a state employee) and is again measured by irrigation managers – usually multiple times in multiple locations. The implication that no entities measure their deliveries is simply false.
3. The notion that developing land means that water is wasted ignores several important realities. Because water is measured so frequently, water managers know that developed land on average consumes virtually the same amount of water per acre per year as agricultural lands. This is because urban land, with lawns, gardens, parks, common areas, green spaces, golf courses and cemeteries, use water on a daily basis for the entire irrigation season. However, a farmer will divert only when a crop needs water and most crops do not require a full irrigation season of water. So, whereas most development comes from agricultural land, there is virtually a 1:1 trade-off from agricultural to urban consumption.
4. Contrary to what the article implies, water doesn’t flow down canals unused. Water that is diverted into canals is used and reused as many as eight times before returning to the river and leaving Idaho. It is simply untrue that huge amounts of water are being spilled and wasted.
5. Reallocating water from agriculture to urban use misses out on the fact that the Treasure Valley agricultural community is the engine for over $1 billion of annual economic activity in the Treasure Valley. The communities of this valley cannot afford adversely affecting the goose that lays that golden egg.

For well over a century now our water managers and users have developed and worked to improve the fantastic water delivery systems we have that provide the beneficial uses of water to all water users, rural and urban.

Throughout my career in water issues at the local, state and national levels, I have observed one thing in particular: Thanks to our state Legislature, Idaho Department of Water Resources, Idaho State Water Resources Board and Idaho Water user’s Association, All consumers of water in Idaho are protected and served by some of the best and most pro-active water policies and practices in the nation. We can all be very proud of that accomplishment, and the men and women that deliver your water.