Idaho water officials outline ARPA-funded projects, seek staff to manage expanding water districts and recharge work

At a March legislative budget committee hearing, Janet Jessup, budget and policy analyst with Legislative Services, told lawmakers the Department of Water Resources has seen a sharp increase in appropriations after receiving State Fiscal Recovery (ARPA) funds and that agency leaders were asking for five new full-time positions to help manage water districts and administration work.

The request follows major project spending tied to ARPA and other sources and comes as the Idaho Water Resource Board and the department press to expand managed recharge and other supply projects — particularly for the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESPA). The board and department officials described tens of millions in committed projects, roughly $290 million in committed water-management funds, and roughly $29 million uncommitted cash in the water management account as of the most recent balances presented to the committee.

Department structure, ARPA infusion and staffing request

Janet Jessup told the committee the Department of Water Resources is organized under Title 42 of Idaho Code and that the Water Resource Board was created by Article 14 of the Idaho Constitution. She said the department was allocated about 170 full-time positions and historically spends close to 90% of its personnel appropriation. Jessup noted that the agency received a substantial ARPA award: "50,000,000 of this appropriation was one time and the other 50,000,000 was made ongoing," and that the ARPA dollars explain the large increase in fiscal-year 2023 expenditures.

Matt Weaver, director of the Idaho Department of Water Resources, asked for five additional positions to pair with about 11 existing water-distribution staff and to create a new water administration bureau. Weaver said the five positions include a bureau chief, resource-agency liaison positions and a technical records specialist. He told the committee the additional staff are intended to support statutory…