09/14/07 Legislative tour, part two

It didn't seem to matter where they went on a three day agricultural tour in Southwestern Idaho, state legislators heard one major concern time and time again; water. State representative Darrell Bolz says Idaho and the federal government have to get together and look at the possibility of more storage space. BOLZ "If you look particularly here in the Boise Valley you will find that a lot of times when you get more water behind those reservoirs you will also increase the ground water down here in the local valley and so there's an impact from that storage water that's used for agricultural purposes in terms of how the urban folks use that water as well." State Senator Tom Gannon says we're in a drought cycle but hopefully we'll get a wet period. GANNON "When we have lots of water we use it to our best advantage and we start planning for the next drought." Magic valley lawmaker Jim Patrick says more storage is a possibility but he feels better management of aquifers and streams would be very beneficial. PATRICK "I don't believe there are any clear answers. Right now the only thing that's being done is to turn off junior users completely. That's a harsh reality on what may have to happen and it does happen on surface water all the time." All three of these legislators agreed water is the number one issue of concern to agriculture producers. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott