Irrigators face meter compliance deadline
More than 400 groundwater irrigators may be subject to water right curtailment if they don’t comply with a Department of Water Resources order by June 1.
The department issued a final notice Thursday to irrigators who have not complied with an order requiring the installation of approved flow meters on groundwater pumps in the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer.
“Instructions in the final notice direct groundwater irrigators to contact the department if they have installed groundwater flow meters,” said Mathew Weaver, deputy director of IDWR. “If they haven’t installed a flow meter, they need to get into compliance immediately or they will be curtailed.”
Director Gary Spackman issued an order in July 2016 requiring flow meters be installed by the 2018 irrigation season. Weaver said that deadline has come and gone.
The meters were also required as part of the 2015 water settlement agreement between groundwater irrigators and the Surface Water Coalition. Officials estimate at least 80 percent of the 5,500 affected groundwater users are in compliance.
The meters are intended to lead to more accurate measurement and reporting of groundwater use.
Water Resources staff is conducting wide-scale field inspections on private and public property of all qualifying wells. The effort will continue through the summer. Irrigators can expect increased field presence beginning June 1.
Inspection priorities will be on well sites the department believes are not in compliance with the order, based on lack of response to department notices or prior well inspections.
