|
| I don't know all the ins and outs of it but long story short, the junior rights holder of water are out pumping the senior rights water. They kept adding deep wells drawing more than they should. Water rights of the state never shut them down. There was a water call made to restore senior rights quite some time ago. Two mitigation plans were put in place involving all the irrigation company's I thought. I thought they had things worked out, then water rights dropped this on them after crops planted. They asked for 500,000 acres to be dried up. I heard it was a $300 acre fine if caught pumping during this last two weeks. Total shut off, loss of water if caught after that.
I've heard lots of stories, from it being a problem with new director of water rights in their formula on recharge. To power company wanting all the water for power generation to provide power for the state of California. Power generation should be a non-consumptive use of the water, should go hand in hand. But with all the crap in Oregon removing dams, and a senator in Idaho also wanting to remove dams here in Idaho. I don't know how much of it is just a grab for water.
Bottom line is senior rights were harmed, they are first in time, first in line for the water. They made a water call, their rights should be restored or bought out by junior rights if they think they need the water more. I've watched quite a few videos on it, listened to the talking heads for the farmers. I've got the opinion some of those row crop farmers think they are intitled to the water with junior rights because they raise high dollar crops vs. a person using their senior rights for a pasture or a fish farm, etc. It doesn't work that way folks. If those sugar beet and potato farmers think they need it more, then they need to pony up and buy the water right out from senior holders.
I've got senior rights from early 1900's in my valley, but the first rights here are about ten years earlier than mine. We have two canal companies here; we have a little hiccup with our senior rights of the two companies and junior pumpers sitting above us that are row crop out pumping our water. We are two years out from water adjudication going on. I'm afraid it's going to be a battle in our little valley as well. We are going to be the last part of the state to fall under adjudication process, we have had a moratorium on deep wells since the 70's here. But some are over pumping, they are row croppers. They need to be shut down.
Then you throw the mix of the state of Utah trying to take our Idaho water for devlopment because we are on the state line it's a mess. If you want a solid job until you retire, become a water attorney here. You'll be employed for a long time. Good old Frank Vandersloot must have some wells, farms affected from this. I do know our whole state economy is going to suffer if we take 500,000 acres out of production. Farmers are paying the lion's share of taxes in the state, all that new growth to come into the state for housing sure might not like the cut in services if farms are lost.
It's true whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting over. Been that way since the first setters to the west. | |
|
Idaho Irrigation water
