Bannock County told to join groundwater district or find water leases as curtailment threatens wellness complex

Bannock County Commissioners were briefed April 21 that the county faces an immediate water curtailment tied to 1990-priority water rights and was advised to contract into a groundwater district this year to avoid state enforcement and possible well shutdowns.

T.J., who said he represents the Idaho Groundwater Appropriators, told the board that state regulation has expanded into tributary basins and that users now being brought into groundwater districts must follow mitigation plans that reduce pumping roughly 11.5 percent on average and allocate water by priority date. "In the short term, you have no choice but to join a groundwater district," T.J. said, urging the county to contract for participation while retaining flexibility to join a local Portneuf district later.

Scott Crowther, the county business manager, told commissioners the county’s water rights date to 1990, and that meter data show the wellness complex is currently using more water than the shares allow. Crowther said staff had prepared applications both to join a groundwater district and to request water from the Idaho water supply bank to begin mitigation steps.

Fish and Game raised immediate ecological concerns. Patrick Kennedy warned that if the pond’s inflows stop, "it's going to warm up ... and you risk having some mortality there," referring to stocked rainbow trout and other species. Kennedy asked to be notified if the county reduces pumping so Fish and Game can avoid a community fish‑kill and the department can adjust stocking plans.

Officials discussed alternatives to ease the shortfall: (1) purchasing or leasing surplus allocations from regional farmers, (2) renting storage water that the city of Pocatello holds in Palisades Reservoir through the Idaho water supply bank, or (3) arranging a temporary supply from the cities of Pocatello or Chubbuck. T.J. noted that buying water from farmers or the bank can be slow and that farmers are unlikely to have surplus this year given dry conditions; city-held storage could be faster but requires application and time for approval.

Commissioner Moser and other commissioners said the wellness complex’s recreation fields and pond are important to local youth sports and nearby businesses and expressed urgency about finding a near-term source. The board asked staff to contact Bingham and American Falls Aberdeen groundwater districts for allocation estimates and to pursue at least an application to the water supply bank.

The board deferred a final decision on water this week and agreed to reconvene Thursday to consider district-application details and allocation numbers. In the meantime, staff will seek allocations, identify potential farmers willing to sell water, and explore whether the cities have surplus storage they can place in the water supply bank for county use.