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Idaho Falls approves subdivision irrigation agreement with Idaho Irrigation District
Summary
The council authorized an agreement allowing future subdivisions to take surface irrigation water via the Idaho Irrigation District; the city will handle in-street distribution while the district maintains canals. Council approved the agreement and authorized the mayor and city clerk to sign documents.
The Idaho Falls City Council on April 17 approved a subdivision irrigation agreement with the Idaho Irrigation District that lets developers and new subdivisions satisfy state code by using surface irrigation water delivered from district canals. The council authorized the mayor and city clerk to execute the necessary documents; the motion passed on a roll-call vote with Burton Shaw, Councilor Francis, Councilor Freeman, Councilor Larson and Councilor Bradford recorded as voting in favor.
Chris Canfield, assistant director of public works, described the agreement as the product of an extended negotiation with the Idaho Irrigation District. "State code requires that all property that has irrigation rights be watered with surface water," Canfield said, and the agreement creates a delivery structure in which the irrigation district maintains canals and supplies delivery at points of discharge while the city maintains distribution infrastructure within streets and rights-of-way that bring water to lots.
Canfield said developers will design neighborhood delivery systems around the district's delivery rate (stated in the meeting as about 8.9 gallons per minute), and might include storage or scheduling mechanisms depending on design. He highlighted a recurring annual assessment on new lots: "there is an assessment that the new residents or new ... lot owners would be subject to ... it's a hundred and $2 per year per resident," Canfield said. He noted the city currently charges about $15 per month for irrigation fees and said the assessment would be credited so new users would experience similar bills to current residents.
Council members asked whether park projects (Community Park and Mallory Park) fall under this agreement; Canfield said park-specific project agreements already exist and that those projects are subject to the same delivery-rate standard but are managed through separate project agreements. Members also asked about potential homeowner metering, individual shutoffs, watering schedules, and what happens during shoulder seasons when canals are turned off; Canfield said systems may include individual shutoffs or metering and that when canal water is not available there will be no irrigation from the canal system (residents would still have potable water sources for hand watering or other needs).
The agreement requires new lot owners to pay assessments and may subject those assessments to delinquency enforcement by the irrigation district. The council's action directs staff to finalize execution of the agreement with the Idaho Irrigation District and incorporate the terms described in developer and project agreements.
