Business managers, community members voice concern over water curtailment order

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Local farmers are saying they won’t survive the cut-off after the state issued the largest water curtailment in Idaho history.

Thursday morning, farmers, businessmen, and community members impacted by the order met with Paul Arrington, the Executive Director of the Idaho Water Users Association (IWUA), a private member organization comprised of surface and groundwater users throughout Idaho. They met during the annual Idaho Association of County Commissioners and Clerks happening inside the Mountain America Center.

Arrington told the county commissioners that east Idaho farmers and the water users in Twin Falls have a very different understanding of the current water agreement.

After 15 years of litigation, the state has told him their hands are tied.

"This has been a very contentious matter," said Arrington. "And every single one of those decisions from the Supreme Court, the court has told...Director Weaver, 'You have to provide water to the senior water user in the time of need, not 30 years from now. They're injured today. You have to provide them water in the time of need.'"

The Department of Water Resources said groundwater users in east Idaho have created a shortage of water downstream for Twin Falls users. They say the farmers here have several legal options to make up that difference.

However, Arrington says the drought of 2021 and 2022 showed the weaknesses of those agreements after groundwater users fell short of the goals IDWR set for them.

East Idaho farmers now say those agreements give them little assurance they'll have water to use.

The Department of Water Resources said they are left with no option but to curtail with the aquifer doing so poorly.

After walking the commissioners through the potential impacts of the curtailment, Arrington responded to many questions about steps the county farmers could do to improve their situation.

But the majority of farmers and businesses we spoke to felt they are left with few options.

"They're talking about the recharge and this and that," said Valley Ag representative Dave Holtom. "But, the main concern is, are they really going to turn the water off? 

Those attending the meeting said they're begging the department to find another solution.

“We're talking millions and millions of dollars in revenue just out of Valley Ag," said Holtom. "Let alone what the farmers are going to lose,”  Let alone we start laying people off because we don't need the delivery people. We don't. I mean, it's just a domino effect is what it is. That's what it turns into. And so we have got to get on top of this and figure out what is the best thing we can do. I mean, what can we do? That's why we're here.”  

According to Arrington, if this order continues, it would be the first time a wide-scale curtailment has happened in the Gem State in nearly two decades.

He says groundwater users and surface water users are in line for the same resource. But the reality, is that groundwater users need a higher level of cut-off to achieve the same result, says Arrington.

Arrington told the group of commissioners, like the local farmers, he is hopeful the groups and department of water resources can come to a solution.

"One of the things that I appreciate most about the folks that I represent is their ability to buckle down and to find good, workable, meaningful solutions and possible situations," said Arrington.