Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little and Lt. Governor Scott Bedke issued the following statements today in support of the more than $30 million in water infrastructure funding approved by the Idaho Water Resource Board (IWRB) at its meeting Friday.

“Idaho is committed to supporting farmers and maintaining our water sovereignty. I appreciate my legislative partners for approving my KEEPING PROMISES plan for ongoing water funding. This first round of funds will help our farmers to roll up their sleeves and develop projects to sustainably manage their water for years to come, and we're not done yet! We applaud Water Resource Board Chairman Jeff Raybould and board members for their work in approving new budgets and grant programs that will allow farmers in eastern Idaho and the Magic Valley to implement key terms of the historic new water settlement agreement,” Governor Little said.

“Water Board Chairman Jeff Raybould and I worked very hard last summer to bring water users together from eastern Idaho and the Magic Valley to craft the 2024 Water Settlement Agreement. I commend the board for following through on our vision. Now the ball is in our farmers’ court to move forward with projects to implement the agreement,” Lt. Governor Scott Bedke said.

“I want to thank the Water Board and our  staff for their hard work in putting together these budgets in short order and creating new grant programs to help our farmers and communities stretch limited water resources as far as possible to find a sustainable balance in the ESPA region,” board chairman Jeff Raybould said.

BACKGROUND

The IWRB approved new budgets last week that provide more than $30 million in funding for southern Idaho farmers and groundwater districts to implement key terms of the 2024 Water Settlement Agreement.

The IWRB received the funds via House Bill 445. Under the terms of the legislation, in Fiscal Year 2026, $30 million must be spent on water projects in eastern Idaho and the Magic Valley (50% each) under the new Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESPA) Water Sustainability Projects Program. The funding kicks in on July 1.

The IWRB allocated the funds as follows. This breakdown for spending during Year #1 of the ongoing funding was based on feedback from water users about their desired priorities.

 

Surface Water Coalition Measuring and Monitoring Support Grant program	$1M
Recharge Infrastructure to boost water levels in the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer.	$4M
ESPA Groundwater to Surface Water  Conversion Projects Grant Program (continuing from last year)	$20M
Surface Water Operational Efficiencies Program	$5M
Total	$30M

The funding initiatives dovetail with key terms of the 2024 Water Settlement Agreement, as follows:

• Meeting water budget targets: Groundwater districts (GWDs) are required to reduce consumption by 205,000 acre-feet of water per year, averaged over four years.
  • The GWDs can reach those targets by implementing Groundwater to Surface Water conversion projects, private aquifer recharge projects and more.
  • Last December, the IWRB approved the first round of GW to SW conversion projects for $13.1 million, including four projects awarded to the Bingham GW District, three to the Bonneville-Jefferson GW District and three to the Magic Valley GW District.
• Boosting water efficiencies by the Surface Water Coalition water users in the Magic Valley. A new grant program will incentivize water efficiencies and conservation, without reducing incidental recharge to the ESPA. This helps reduce conflicts between the groundwater users and surface water users.
• Tracking water consumption on the monthly basis for all water users. The IWRB awarded the first round of Telemetry and Water Monitoring Grants for a total of $566,504 to 11 recipients, including the Bingham GWD, Magic Valley GWD, and Twin Falls Canal Co. An additional $1M is available for water measurement and monitoring by water users.
• $5M for water projects that would boost Reach Gains in the Blackfoot to Minidoka area.
• $2.5M for the Bingham GWD to develop a new aquifer recharge basin. The IWRB would be a partner in funding the site and receiving up to 50% of the recharge capacity when the Board’s recharge water right is in priority. The funding is contingent on the Bingham GWD approving the terms of the agreement for the new recharge basin.
• Working to change the State Water Plan to increase the IWRB target to 350,000 acre feet for recharging the ESPA aquifer, on average, from a previous target of 250,000 acre-feet per year. The new ESPA recharge target was a key aspect of the 2024 Water Settlement Agreement.
• Scheduled two more rounds of Aging Infrastructure Grants totaling $40 million to modernize water infrastructure in fiscal 2026 and 2027. The IWRB already has approved 90 Aging Infrastructure Grant projects for $56M, including numerous water-modernization projects in Eastern Idaho.
• Continued funding for Regional Water Sustainability Projects, including $5M for projects that would increase Blackfoot to Minidoka Reach Gains.