01/25/07 Otter`s water pledge

Governor Butch Otter told the Idaho Water Users Association that he'll base his decisions on the state's water doctrine as outlined in the state constitution. For the Governor it's clear that there are dedicated uses for water. OTTER "Domestic, agricultural, mining and manufacturing including power generation. These are all parts of Idaho's constitution." Otter told a packed house at the water users convention yesterday that recharge of the Snake River aquifer is one of the most important issues facing the state and in his words 'must be put to work up to the limit of the law.' OTTER "I won't support it unless compensation as directed under Article 15, Section 3 is also satisfied. I believe in recharge. I support recharge but there are a lot of hoops to jump through before we'll be able to get the recharge in even modest amounts." The governor also talked about efforts to increase Idaho water storage capabilities by raising the heights of some dams or possibly building new ones. He also criticized federal Judge James Redden and some of his decisions on salmon and flow augmentation and Otter took a jab at the many lawyers in the crowd. OTTER "Water provides the very financial well being for damn near every attorney in Idaho." Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott