06/08/07 Meeting aimed at averting water shutoff

A meeting today at the Idaho Department of Water Resources is aimed at averting a water curtailment order. Water Resources director David Tuthill says he's ready to follow state law and carry out the order but he's willing to listen to any proposals that solve the problem. Senior water right holders in the Thousand Springs region of the Magic Valley have called for their allotment and Tuthill could shutdown 771 wells affecting 33 thousand acres of farmland. He can issue the orders almost immediately unless the Idaho Ground Water Appropriators come up with some kind of mitigation plan. IGWA prevented a May shutdown when it won a temporary restraining order from District Court Judge John Butler but when he stepped down last week to avoid a conflict of interest Judge John Melanson stepped it and dismissed the lawsuit. This potential curtailment was the first of two from IDWR. Tuthill's potential call in the American Falls area was averted when groundwater users agreed to set aside enough water to satisfy senior holders. That had a potential to dry up more than 46 thousand acres of south-central and eastern Idaho and as Tuthill is quick to point out, has no bearing on Thousand Springs and tomorrow's meeting. TUTHILL "Those are separate calls and they have a totally different legal track." Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott