07/06/05 Bell Rapids water buyout completed

The Idaho Department of Water Resources now owns the water rights to nearly 25 thousand acres of land from the Bell Rapids Irrigation company near Hagerman. The total purchase price for the water rights is nearly 24.4 million dollars. Bell Rapids shareholders received $16 million at last week's closing and the remainder will be paid in annual interest-free installments over five years. The Bureau of Reclamation will now lease most of the water from the Water Resources Board to augment flow for salmon and steelhead recovery. Will the lease payments reimburse the state for the money allocated by the legislature? RIGBY "A substantial amount of it. To say all of it I don't know yet. But the legislature acknowledged that when it provided for the 21 plus million up front that does need to be reimbursed. Jerry Rigby is chairman of the Water Resources Board. The Bureau of Reclamation will take 60 thousand acre feet of water but Rigby says that's why the state is buying additional water rights. RIGBY "Just how much more depends upon on how many of these titled water rights can actually be vested in the board. Right now as I say it over 60. We're hoping as much as 70 odd thousand acre feet will be owned by the water board." Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott