IDWR Director issues new moratorium order on Snake River water rights

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Idaho Department of Water Resources has issued a new moratorium order that cuts off any new water rights from using groundwater or surface water in the Snake River Plain.

The deputy director issued this order to preserve the existing water rights. Many of those who already have water rights are injured every year from the lack of water and the drought. Adding even more water rights would put a more unbearable burden for these existing water rights to carry on. The deputy director says this order has carried on for the past couple of years.

This order does not include non consumptive uses. This includes water rights for recharge where people can capture runoff from snowmelt and store it for later on down the road. It also includes cases where people can show how they are mitigating their water usage that won't hurt other water rights.