Irrigation

Water managers found June precipitation was strong enough to get by, plus the state changed the methodology for determining who needs to be curtailed and when.

Water is scarce in much of our region. So every spring, one tribe spends days cleaning ditches that are vital to irrigating their farmland. But aging infrastructure and the effects of climate change are making it harder for farmers to get enough water - even after the cleanings.

Idaho Matters takes a look at whether Idaho irrigators and cities will have enough water this summer.

On April 28, Gary Spackman, the director of the Idaho Department of Water Resources, issued a blanket order for all 34 counties south of the Salmon River.

The agreement sets the stage for water management in the Wood River watershed for the next three years.

Many irrigation canals in the Treasure Valley will be shut off this week, about a month earlier than usual.

A new deal between groundwater users and surface water users will allow irrigation to continue in the Bellevue Triangle through August 15.

Farmers who irrigate their crops with groundwater in a region of south central Idaho will need to turn off their water this week, according to an order from Idaho’s Department of Water Resources.

Some farmers in the Wood River Valley could have their water shut off this summer in the middle of their growing season. Ongoing extreme drought conditions and long-standing water rights disputes are to blame.

About half of Idaho is experiencing some level of drought, and early irrigation shut-offs are predicted for several basins, especially in south central Idaho.