Water Board
The Idaho Water Resource Board (IWRB) has opened the application period for a number of new and existing grant programs to assist farmers in Eastern Idaho and the Magic Valley in fulfilling the terms of the 2024 Water Settlement Agreement.
In the IWRB May meeting in Moscow, the Board approved $30 million in funding for Fiscal 2026 to assist water users in meeting the terms of the 2024 Water Settlement Agreement.
Gov. Brad Little and Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke complimented the IWRB on passing the funding initiatives, noting that now it’s time for water users to roll up their sleeves, plan projects and apply for funds to implement water- saving measures.
Three new grant programs in the funding package that directly dovetail with the water agreement include:
$1M for a new Water Measuring/Monitoring Grant program, including automated headgates with telemetry, to promote water conservation in the ESPA region. The grant program is open to surface and groundwater users located in the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESPA) Area of Groundwater Supply region. Maximum amount requested per application is $250,000; 50 percent match is required. Applications are open; the deadline is Aug. 1, 2025. More information here.
$5M for a new Surface Water Operational Efficiencies grant program. Applications are open year- round; no match is required. This grant program is open only to Surface Water Coalition Members within the ESPA Area of Common Groundwater Supply. More information here.
$20M for the ESPA Groundwater to Surface Water Conversion Projects grant program. The deadline for applications is Aug. 1. In addition, funding for one existing grant program that relates to the water agreement is also open for applications:
• $20M for Round 6 of the Aging Infrastructure Grants program. Maximum amount for applications is $2M; 50 percent match is required. The deadline for applications is Aug. 1.
“We want to make sure all of the water users in the state and in the Eastern Snake Plain region know about the full range of grant opportunities available to them,” said Neeley Miller, Senior Water Resource Planner and Grants Administrator for IWRB. “The amount of funding from the IWRB for water efficiency, conservation and
modernization projects is unprecedented under these new and existing programs. We encourage water users to carefully research the application criteria and submit their applications in a timely manner.”
The IWRB also has an ongoing Low-interest Loan Program that’s available for water projects. For more information, contact the IWRB grants team at IWRBgrants@idwr.idaho.gov.
