Water War Math

 Idaho is a state that is heavily reliant on agriculture for its survival and survival of agriculture is heavily reliant on water…that’s for sure. Between trout farming and irrigating farmland, the folks in the South-Central part of the state have been feuding over water calls since at least 2005 and you can understand that. Senior water rights holder Clear Springs Foods of Buhl says they are being deprived of their water allotment by ground irrigators and a curtailment was issued for those pumpers. Both sides in the argument have good points.

 I think, however, part of the problem is the complexity of the language surrounding the battle. Listen to Bob McLaughlin, Public Information Officer for the ?Idaho Department Of Water Resources: “Basically, this curtailment order is to 250 water right holders of 315 junior water rights in South Central Idaho’s Magic Valley. It was agreed by the parties and ordered by the Director that the groundwater districts would continue converting 9,300 acres from groundwater to surface water irrigation, also commence converting an additional 1060 acres from groundwater to surface water and also continue enrolling acreage in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, but we became aware on July 9^th, 2009 that the total number of converted acres in 2009 was less than planned.