More recharge projects could stabilize water problem

The Eastern Idaho Snake Plain Aquifer has been steadily declining since the 1950s, significantly impacting the availability of groundwater and surface water along the Snake River.

The Idaho Water Resource Board has teamed up with local canal companies to develop recharge projects in order to meet the goal of 250,000 acre-feet per year of recharge water.

Last year 66,000 acre-feet of recharge water was met.

The Great Feeder Head Works Canal Board of Directors just finished construction on an estimated $1.4 million project that will assist with water management.

The Great Feeder Board Member Stan Hawkins said the new structure will have the technology to measure water flow.

“The project includes new gates that seal, and automation to do measurements and open and close the gates when there is bad weather,” Hawkins said.

It’s been in the works for five years and Hawkins said, “It will no doubt help with water management and will help the future.”

The Great Feeder was incorporated in 1895, and in 1915 the wooden head gates were replaced with a solid concrete structure.

“We are right to the point where are water resources are stretched very thin and this new structure will give us the ability to properly do recharge with proper accounting and the ability to stop and start when we need too,” Hawkins said.

The Idaho Water Resource Board has developed a Comprehensive Aquifer Management Plan for the ESPA. A key component of the CAMP was the development of a managed recharge program.

The current project constructed a new canal that will deliver recharge water from the St. Anthony Union Canal to the Egin Lakes recharge site.

The recharge program manager, Wesley Hipke, said the new canal built will allow the diversion of more water than has been possible in the past.

“We need to develop more projects to be able to get that water off the river and into the aquifer,” Hipke said.

The main goal said Hipke is to stabilize the aquifer and to recharge water back into the Snake Plain Aquifer.

“Less water limits the growth of the city and everything needs water,” Hipke said.

The IWRB is funding this project and will have sole use of the recharge water.

After the irrigation seasons starts, the irrigation canals can only be used to transport recharge water to specific recharge sites.