10/02/08 Rural-urban water summit

It's expected to be a full house for a summit in Boise next week on rural-urban water delivery problems. The Idaho Water Users Association was asked to organize the October 8th meeting after the city of Caldwell and the Pioneer Irrigation District locked horns over urban runoff being funneled into Pioneer canals and laterals. Norm Semanko says it's a local issue with statewide implications. SEMANKO "So at our summit we'll be having federal folks there as well as local jurisdictions talking about the issues." Congressmen Mike Simpson and Bill Sali are co-hosting the meeting along with Senator Mike Crapo. The Summit is based on statewide concerns about serious financial and potential liability issues for Idaho irrigation entities due to encroachment and dumping of storm water runoff. It is now being viewed as the first step in laying the groundwork for cooperative solutions between Idaho irrigation districts and municipal or governmental entities. SEMANKO "Because basically you don't have the same solution in every case, no cookie cutter solution but if we can identify each others interests and agree to talk and work together instead of talking past each other and arguing I think that would be the greatest outcome we could have for this event." If you need more summit information you can contact the Idaho Water Users Association in Boise. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott