Presented By: David Richards Idaho Falls Water Superintendent MUNICIPAL WATER RIGHTS A LOOK AT HOW THE CONJUCTIVE MANAGEMENT RULING IMPACTS TODAY’S MUNICPAL WATER RIGHTS

To properly understand the present and plan for the future, we must not lose our perspective of the past. CITY OF IDAHO FALLS Originally settled in 1865 as Eagle Rock after the construction of Taylor’s Bridge City of Idaho Falls Circa 1948 Intersection of Park Avenue & Broadway Eagle Rock later became Idaho Falls (July 22, 1891) With settlement and development came the need for water Fields developed into a thriving municipality City relied on water to accommodate future growth MUNICIPAL WATER RIGHTS

THE BEGINNINGS OF A CITY IN EASTERN IDAHO City of Eagle Rock – June1888 (Sanborn Map & Publishing Co. Ltd.) City of Eagle Rock pumped surface water from Snake River to 2-35,000 gal water tanks 1865 – Taylor’s Bridge built MUNICIPAL WATER RIGHTS 1878 – Railroad reached Eagle Rock

POTENTIAL SOURCES OF MUNICIPAL WATER Accessible Since Settlement SURFACE WATERGROUNDWATERVs. More Accessible Since 1950’s High Cost of TreatmentLow Cost of Treatment Less Consistent SupplyMore Consistent Supply More Susceptible to FreezingLess Susceptible to Freezing MUNICIPAL WATER RIGHTS

IDAHO FALLS WATER RIGHT TIMELINE MUNICIPAL WATER RIGHTS – Eagle Rock Established 1874 – Willow Creek Water Rights Established 1878 – Railroad Reaches Eagle Rock 1888 – Sanborn Maps Document City’s Water System 1891 – Eagle Rock Becomes Idaho Falls 1927 – First Well Constructed (Still In Use Today!) 1950’s – Comprehensive Study to Quantify Spring Flow at Thousand Springs 1950’s – Wells Become Prevalent (Technology and Low Power Cost) 1963 – City Required to License Previously Unlicensed Wells (1963 Priority Date) 1980’s – Drought Litigation Leads to Conjunctive Management Ruling 1994 – IDWR Establishes Conjunctive Management Rules (IDAPA ) 1992 – Moratorium on Issuance of ESPA Water Rights Sequence of Events

IDAHO FALLS WATER RIGHT TIMELINE MUNICIPAL WATER RIGHTS – City’s First Water Right License (Well #1) 1933 to 1960 – Next 7 Wells (Wells #2 - #8) Not Licensed (License Was Not Required) 1963 – City Applies for 2 New Water Rights (Wells #9 & #10) 1963 – IDWR Requires City of Idaho Falls to Prove and License All Existing Wells  All Previously Unlicensed Wells Given a License With a1963 Priority Date Idaho Falls Groundwater Right Licensing

IDAHO FALLS WATER RIGHT TIMELINE MUNICIPAL WATER RIGHTS 1880 Idaho Falls Groundwater Right Licensing 1967 to 1988 – City’s Next 7 Water Right Licenses (Wells #11 - #17) 1927 – City’s First Water Right License (Well #1) 1933 to 1960 – Next 7 Wells (Wells #2 - #8) Not Licensed (License Was Not Required) 1963 – City Applied for 2 New Water Rights (Wells #9 & #10) 1963 – IDWR Requires City of Idaho Falls to Prove and License All Existing Wells  All Previously Unlicensed Wells Given a License With a1963 Priority Date 1997 – City’s Next Water Right License Acquired (Well #15B) 2006 – City’s Next Well (Well #13B) Added; Additional Point of Diversion 1927 to Current – City Acquired Surface Water Shares (City-owned Property) 2006 – City Purchased 1,180 Shares of Storage Water in Palisades Reservoir

GROUNDWATER USE IN IDAHO AND THE ESPA MUNICIPAL WATER RIGHTS

WATER USE IN IDAHO AND THE ESPA MUNICIPAL WATER RIGHTS

MUNICIPAL RIGHTS AFTER CONJUNCTIVE MANAGEMENT MUNICIPAL WATER RIGHTS MUNICIPAL ISSUES Playing Field is Not Level and Goal Posts Continually Move Lack of Parity Between Surface & Groundwater Priority Dates Legal Environment Keeps Changing Conflicting State Requirements IDWR (Legal Issues) vs IDEQ (Operational Issues) Always Err on the Side of Public Health and Safety MUNICIPAL SOLUTIONS Identify Methods of Utilizing Surface Water Shares Groundwater Recharge for Credits? Irrigation System Conversion? How to Use Existing Water Rights More Efficiently Stretching Existing Rights to Accommodate Growth Conservation Accommodate Growth Through Using Less

MUNICIPAL WATER RIGHTS THANK YOU!! A LOOK AT HOW THE CONJUCTIVE MANAGEMENT RULING IMPACTS TODAY’S MUNICPAL WATER RIGHTS