06/15/05 Reservoirs have sufficient water now

The rain and cool weather of the past six weeks has lessened the irrigation demand in southern Idaho. Many irrigators believed that there would not be enough water this summer because of the poor winter snowpack. Bureau of Reclamation's Tim Miller says the upper Snake River system is in much better shape this year than last. MILLER "We're still sitting about 83 percent capacity in the upper Snake which is really good comparing it to especially last year and the year before we were down to about half full." American Falls Reservoir is at 90 percent capacity today, Palisades is at 84 percent but Jackson Lake is the lowest at 61 percent. MILLER "That's just kind of a representation of the low snowpack that we had and that was the early forecast that we had on this water year and it was based on the snow we had above Jackson and it wasn't looking good through out most of the winter." In western Idaho Bureau of Rec's Rick Wells says the Payette River system is going to be able to provide a full water supply this summer. MILLER "The Boise I think will be a full supply for most irrigators. The Boise project which has about half the acreage is still a little below full supplies. The Boise system is at 85 percent capacity today. With the expected warm weather irrigation demand should start to lower the reservoirs from this point forward. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott