GROUND WATER RECHARGE and MITIGATION UNDER CONJUNCTIVE - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
GROUND WATER RECHARGE and MITIGATION UNDER CONJUNCTIVE ADMINISTRATION in the WOOD RIVER BASIN Dave Tuthill Ernie Carlsen October 22, 2013 Idaho Water Engineering Founded in 2009 Water Resource Engineering throughout Idaho Water
GROUND WATER RECHARGE and MITIGATION UNDER CONJUNCTIVE ADMINISTRATION in the WOOD RIVER BASIN
Dave Tuthill Ernie Carlsen
October 22, 2013
Founded in 2009 Water Resource Engineering throughout Idaho
Water measurement Water rights Water marketing Mitigation plans
In September opened an office in Ketchum, 321 S.
Leadville, Suite A
www.idahowaterengineering.com
Management
Hypothesis: Water in the river and for other uses in the valley is vital to the economic health of the Wood River Valley
ECOSYSTEM CARBON AND WATER SERVICES FOR THE NORTHERN ROCKIES
Idaho Epscor Conference Steven W. Running Numerical Terradynamic Simulation Group College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana October 8, 2013
August Streamflow Trends 1950- 2007
Normalized change in discharge for non- regulated sites
Leppi et al., 2011Leppi et al 2011
Both the 7-day and 30-day low-flow analyses for the Big Wood River near Bellevue gaging station (13141000) show a mean decrease of about 15 cubic feet per second since the 1940s, and mean monthly discharge values show statistically significant decreasing trends for December, January, and February.
Both the 7-day and 30-day low-flow analyses for the Big Wood River near Bellevue gaging station (13141000) show a mean decrease of about 15 cubic feet per second since the 1940s, and mean monthly discharge values show statistically significant decreasing trends for December, January, and February. The Big Wood River at Hailey gaging station (13139500) showed a statistically significant trend of a 25-percent increase in mean monthly base flow for March over the 90-year period of record. This increase in streamflow may be a function of earlier snowpack runoff, as seen in basins throughout the Western United States.
Relative to water delivery in the Wood River Valley…
is coming between now and 2015
In Idaho the appropriation doctrine is used for the delivery both surface water rights and ground water rights— “first in time is first in right”
Irrigation of 50 acres 1.0 cfs 6/16/1887
Irrigation of 60 acres 1.2 cfs 6/17/1887
1 miner’s inch = .02 cubic feet per second = 9 gallons per minute
Irrigation of 500 acres 10.0 cfs 6/16/1982
Well
Administered by a State of Idaho Water District which hires a Watermaster If a water right is not used for five consecutive years it can be lost due to forfeiture
Example – Which right is most likely to be curtailed?
1886 Water Right Big Wood River 32 acres Irrigation 1959 Water Right Non-tributary 24 acres irrigation 1956 Water Right Ground Water ½ acre lawn irrigation
Scenario 1 – during 2012 Scenario 2 – during 2014 or 2015 Scenario 3 – during 2020
1954 Water Right Ground Water City of Ketchum, Municipal
Minimum Stream Flow Rights
(1/16/1986) SNRA to Warm Springs--200/150 cfs
~ 37-8258
Warm Springs Cr.
(6/19/1981) Warm Springs to District 45 Canal 70 cfs ~ 37-7919 (10/16/1987) Warm Springs to District 45 Canal 119 cfs ~ 37-8307
NOTE: 37-7919 and 37-8307 are “Stacked Rights” for 189 cfs
Slide by Dr. Lee Brown
Conjunctive Administration:
administration of the ground water resource by IDWR and others
Conjunctive Management: optimization
Merriam-Webster definition : To cause to
become less harsh or hostile
Implemented to prevent injury to existing
water rights
Must be in-time, in-place and replacement
water must be for full amount of injury
Steps Toward Conjunctive Administration in the Wood River Valley
Adjudicate the surface water rights ~ 1900 Establish Water District 37 to administer surface
water rights ~ 1900
Commence delivery of surface water rights ~ 1900 Adjudicate ground water rights – 1987 – 2013 Establish a Water Measurement District -- 2011 Incorporate ground water rights in Water District 37 -
Commence delivery of ground water rights – 2014 or
2015 (per IDWR)
Map from IDEQ Website
189 cfs
189 cfs
Ground Water Recharge Filings in the Wood River Basin
1865 1900 1965 2011
?
Private Sector Role State Government Role Federal Government Role
1865 1900 1965 2011
Incidental Recharge-- No Credit State Sponsored Managed Recharge Privately Sponsored Managed Recharge
Form one or more Ground Water
Districts
Initiate government-sponsored recharge Support private ground water recharge
TITLE 42 IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE -- WATER RIGHTS AND RECLAMATION CHAPTER 52 GROUND WATER DISTRICTS 42-5224. POWERS AND DUTIES OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS. The board shall, in addition to any other powers and duties provided in this chapter, and provided that nothing in this chapter shall abrogate or impair the right of any person to take any action necessary to acquire, protect, challenge or defend any water right, have the following powers and duties: (1) To acquire, and/or construct, operate, control or use by appropriation, grant, purchase, bequest, devise, contract or lease works or facilities, water rights, water permits or licenses, well-drilling permits, wells, pipelines, ditches and any
contract entitlement within or without the district necessary or convenient to fully exercise its powers; and 20 other paragraphs enumerating powers
Could be Federal, State, County or
Municipal
Must be done with a water right Funding? New ground water recharge legislation
has been proposed to be submitted to the next Idaho legislative session
42-234. GROUND WATER RECHARGE
(1) It is the policy of the state of Idaho to promote and encourage the
designed to advance this policy be given maximum support. The legislature finds that the use of water to recharge ground water basins in accordance with Idaho law and the state water plan may enhance the full realization of our water resource potential by furthering water conservation and increasing the water available for beneficial use.
(2) The legislature hereby declares that the appropriation of water for purposes of ground water recharge shall constitute a beneficial use of water. The director of the department of water resources is authorized to issue permits and licenses for the purpose of ground water recharge, pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and in compliance with
Recharged water is tracked by models Funded by recipients of benefits Some recharged water goes to the
benefit of the aquifer
Must be done with a water right
Presently a Protestant in a ground
water recharge application
Response letter from Innovative
Mitigation Solutions addresses concerns
Blaine County Commissioners are
encouraged to support ground water recharge projects
208-378-1513 Website: www.idahowaterengineering.com Email:info@idahowaterengineering.com
Thank you.
321 S. Leadville, Suite A, Ketchum