03/24/08 Irrigation district lawsuit over stormwater discharge

The Pioneer Irrigation District has taken the city of Caldwell to court because of runoff from roads and parking lots being channeled into some of Pioneer's ditches and canals. Pioneer attorney Scott Campbell says the city is requiring developers to pipe storm overflow discharge into surface facilities. CAMPBELL "The city of Caldwell doesn't plan or has not obtained any consent to do what they are requiring by ordinance." The 34 thousand acre irrigation district in southwestern Idaho could be held liable for any storm water contamination that gets into its system from the runoff, things like oil, feces, heavy metals or what ever else is on the streets or parking lots. And that's not the only concern. CAMPBELL "Two years ago in December the district had flooding from these storm water discharges at the tail end of the Phyllis Canal and as this policy is implemented through the city of Caldwell's development approval process there will be more and more of these things if its not stopped." The case probably won't go to District Court for trial until sometime next year. Campbell says the Pioneer district's biggest fear is that the canals, once filled next month, could overflow from storm discharge during a heavy April or May rain event. Today's Idaho Ag news Bill Scott