Watching Idahos Water
We’ve known for a long time that the West is growing and that there are limited supplies of water. Idaho has been a boom state in terms of growth but recent revelations have determined that we better start thinking about water conservation. If we don’t our food supply and economy are in real trouble because farmers have to stand in line behind municipalities when it comes to sharing water.
John Thompson of the Idaho Farm Bureau explains: “When cities grow and the demand for water for municipal needs increases, then water can be taken away from agriculture.” Thompson says a major priority for all Idahoans is: “Increasing our storage capacity and especially re-charging our aquifer.”
Back in the old days, that wasn’t as difficult as it is now.
(Thompson) “Before sprinkler and center pivot irrigation came along, there was a lot of just flood irrigation and the aquifer got re-charged without really trying too hard. Now in measuring the aquifer, they’re seeing that it’s dropping.”
Any ideas for refilling?
(Thompson) “One of the ways that I hear farmers talking about is just fill the canals in the wintertime, fill canals or find places out in the desert where they can run water out and it will percolate down. We need to find ways to deliver water to that aquifer.”
