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Committee introduces RS 32,336 setting 350,000 acre-feet recharge goal for Eastern Snake River Plain for irrigation season
Summary
The House Resources and Conservation Committee on an unspecified date introduced RS 32,336, amended to direct the Idaho Water Resource Board to target 350,000 acre-feet of managed aquifer recharge to the Eastern Snake River Plain during each irrigation season or a higher state plan goal if set and met.
The House Resources and Conservation Committee introduced RS 32,336 after an amendment to specify that the Eastern Snake River Plain aquifer recharge goal of 350,000 acre-feet "is met for that irrigation season" or a higher goal set by an approved State Water Plan and met.
The measure was presented by Representative Stephanie Mickelson, who said, "This bill simply directs the water board that they shall take their water when it's in priority to use it for recharge." She told the committee the change is intended to set a minimum standard so recharge happens before water is diverted elsewhere.
The amendment removes the phrase "on average annual basis" and adds language making the 350,000 acre-feet target apply to the irrigation season, or defers to a higher goal if the State Water Plan sets one and that goal is met. Representative Mickelson described the change as a "tweak" to ensure a floor for recharge during years when water is available.
Representative John Miller (role stated in meeting as Representative Miller) asked whether the word "that" created ambiguity; Mickelson responded that it would not and said the irrigation season "starts, I believe November 1 and ends October 30. And it is laid out in state code." Miller pressed to confirm that the language requires water to be committed to recharge before it is allocated elsewhere; Mickelson said the change was meant to set a minimum floor so recharge occurs when those water rights are in priority.
Representative Vanders moved to introduce RS 32,336 with the stated amendments. The chair put the motion to a voice vote and the committee approved the introduction; the transcript records a voice vote with the chair saying, "The ayes have it." The motion's formal text as discussed: revise the State Water Plan to establish an Eastern Snake River Plain aquifer managed recharge goal that the Idaho Water Resource Board shall meet of 350,000 acre-feet for that irrigation season or a higher goal set by an approved State Water Plan and met for that irrigation season.
Why it matters: Committee members framed the change as a mechanism to prioritize managed aquifer recharge to address a state-identified decline in the Eastern Snake River Plain aquifer. The amendment sets a stated numerical floor (350,000 acre-feet) tied to the irrigation season rather than an average annual metric, and ties any higher target to the approved State Water Plan.
The committee did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript; the action was approved by voice vote. No implementation schedule or effective date was specified during the meeting.
Provenance: topicintro — Representative Stephanie Mickelson introduced RS 32,336 and described the proposed text and rationale (transcript excerpt: "This bill simply directs the water board that they shall take their water when it's in priority to use it for recharge."). topicfinish — committee approved introduction of RS 32,336 with amendments (transcript excerpt: "All in favor of approving this introducing this RS with changes, please respond by saying aye. Aye. Opposed nay. The ayes have it. It'll be done.").
