IWRB OKs New Conservation Projects

Idaho water officials are moving ahead on major infrastructure and conservation projects across the state.  The Idaho Water Resource Board toured a proposed water-regulation project on Fifteen Mile Creek near Nampa during its meeting in the Boise-area last week.

Officials said the plan would use nearby gravel pits to temporarily store surplus irrigation return flows before releasing a steady flow back into the Boise River.

“We can regulate the flows by storing water in the gravel pits with gravity flow in and gravity flow out,” said Mike Schubert, a consulting engineer for HDR Engineering. “And then we could have a consistent flow 25 cfs going back into the Boise River, while we store surplus flows in the gravel pits.”

Funds Approved For Minidoka, Winchester

“This is a project of regional interest,” added Tom Points, Director of Public Works for the City of Nampa. “It seems like a really good solution to regulate water flows and provide some additional benefits to the Boise River.”

Design work is still pending, with infrastructure costs estimated at about $1.5 million.

Meanwhile, the board approved $3.2 million for the Minidoka Irrigation District to rehabilitate a key canal waste structure in southern Idaho.

The board also approved $1 million dollars toward repairs at Winchester Lake Dam near Winchester, south of Lewiston.  This is part of a $3.6 million project also funded by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.  Significant upgrades to Winchester Dam are needed to ensure the dam can safely handle a 500-year flood event and address ongoing seepage concerns affecting the structure’s integrity, officials noted.

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