Water managers in charge of monitoring the largest aquifer in Idaho have lots to celebrate these days.
“It’s been a really amazing year," says Wesley Hipke with the Idaho Water Resource Board. "At this point in time, we’re constantly setting new records.”
Hipke says that with a strong rain and snow year, the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer is in great shape. He says the state of Idaho’s efforts to capture water and put it back into the shrinking aquifer is so far excelling in big water years like this one. They’ve nearly doubled their recharge goal for the year.
“By us being able to put this water back in the ground that was going to leave the state anyhow, it actually helps build it back up so we can use it at another point in time.”
Hipke says the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer has been shrinking since 1950, which is why water managers have begun putting water back into the system.
Find reporter Frankie Barnhill on Twitter @FABarnhill
Copyright 2018 Boise State Public Radio
