12/12/06 Dairymen have agreement on water

The Idaho Supreme Court is expected to hand down a ruling sometime early next year on a water rights case. Last week the high court heard arguments appealing a district court decision that banned groundwater users from pumping underground water. The executive director of the Idaho Dairymen's Association Bob Naerebout says talks have been going on for a year with both the Surface Water Coalition and spring water users. NAEREBOUT "We had a settlement available to us almost six months ago but it was too pricey for the industry and so we've added some additional conditions into that settlement that have been agreed on. We're still waiting for signatures. That will make it economical for dairy producers to participate in a mitigation plan." Naerebout says they need to have all parties sign off on the mitigation plan. His association will then form the Idaho Dairy Water and Land Trust in an effort to get producers to sign up and participate before the plan goes to the Idaho Department of Water Resources. NAEREBOUT "If they don't approve it, it was a nice try. Some lawyers made some good dollars off it. But to go forward you have to have IDWR's approval." This agreement protects dairymen for the livestock side of their water use, not the crop side, regardless of what the Supreme Court might say. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott