Wednesday, April 21, 2004

Magic Reservoir
capacity at 25 percent

Drought emergency
declared for Lincoln County

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"The declaration was made because water storage in Magic Reservoir is 25 percent of its capacity, as of April 1, and inflow to the reservoir from the Big Wood River is expected to be 44 percent of average."

— IDAHO GOV. DIRK KEMPTHORNE

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By GREG STAHL
Express Staff Writer

With carryover storage at 25 percent of capacity, Magic Reservoir is not expected to last long during the coming irrigation season.

On Monday, Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne declared a drought emergency in Lincoln County, where the reservoir is used to water fields near Richfield and Shoshone. It was the third drought declaration the governor has made this year.

"The declaration was made because water storage in Magic Reservoir is 25 percent of its capacity, as of April 1, and inflow to the reservoir from the Big Wood River is expected to be 44 percent of average," according to a press release from the governor’s office. "Forecasters predict that irrigation water stored in magic Reservoir will be depleted by the end of July.

Last year, the governor signed 19 drought declarations for Idaho counties, including Blaine County. The declarations enable irrigators to seek administrative flexibility from the Idaho Department of Water Resources to secure temporary water rights and make modifications to existing water rights.

The winter precipitation season was close to an average one until March hit. This spring witnessed one of the driest and warmest Marches on record, and farmers are bracing for a difficult season.

"It’s going to get real ugly," said IDWR spokesman Dick Larson. "Typically, we’re still accumulating snow in March. It just wasn’t there. There was nothing there, and we had warm temperatures with it, and the runoff started.

"We’re going to go into next year the same as we were this year, only worse."

Larson said the last time he can remember a significantly wet year in Idaho was 1997, when floods threatened property and fields throughout the state. In the span of six years, "we hit the bottom of the bank—with the lowest storage levels on the Snake River we’ve every had."

"You can just go so long empty in the bank account, but before long, the law of averages will catch up with you," Larson said.

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