Water experts presented conflicting reports during a hearing regarding the proposed Cove Springs development last week in Hailey.
The development, under review by the Blaine County Planning and Zoning Commission, would add 338 units to the Bellevue Triangle area, which is among the last agricultural strongholds in the county.
The development would be centered on 600 acres of the 4,630-acre Cove Ranch property, which abuts the east side of Gannett Road about five miles southeast of Bellevue.
On Thursday, Jan. 25, Wendy Pabich, a local hydrologist hired by the county to examine Cove Springs' potential impact on water quality and quantity, said the development could pose a risk to both.
Despite senior water rights dating to 1882, Pabich warned that Cove Springs could reduce groundwater supply, create low flows at Silver Creek and strain local agriculture operations. She also warned of a potential risk to water quality.
Her report was challenged by Lee Brown, a hydrologist hired by the applicants. Brown said the development will not consume more water than it currently does to support the ranch's agriculture operation. He added that it will not affect flows at Silver Creek, and it will not injure downstream users. The applicant's attorney, James Speck, argued the conflicting analyses were a result of mistakes made by Pabich, who has worked with Brown on local water issues in the past.
But citizens sided with Pabich—at least those who spoke at Thursday night's hearing.
Of the eight people who spoke, none offered outright support for the project and most were vehemently opposed.
Bellevue Triangle farmers Dean Rogers and John Stevenson, who was represented by attorney Ned Williamson, both warned that the development will injure water users who rely on the resource for their livelihood.
Rogers said the development's "impact on groundwater will be severe" since a significant portion of water will be consumed for residential purposes and will not recharge the aquifer until after it's treated.
Rogers said the project's "long-term effect will be a lowering of the water level" and an end of agriculture in the Triangle.
He added that the applicant has failed to adequately prove that the project will not deplete water supplies.
"The burden of proof is on the developers," he said. "Now is not the time to be testing theories."
David Murphy, deputy water master of Basin 37, which includes the Wood River Valley, said the development could make providing water to its rightful owners "pretty tough."
Fred Brossy, who grew up on Cove Ranch and now owns a farm near the Little Wood River west of Shoshone, also warned that the development would injure his operation and serve a knockout blow to farming in the Triangle.
"It's really about, do we kill agriculture in exchange for development?" he said.
Brossy noted there is already a lot of development on the table.
The cities of Carey and Bellevue, which sandwich Cove Ranch and the Gannett area, have already received applications for more than 2,000 new units with more expected.
Jay Coleman, who lives south of Bellevue, blasted the P&Z for allowing the applicants to have free reign of the hearing for such a long time. The public was not granted a chance to speak until about 8:30 p.m., two hours after the hearing began.
Furthermore, Coleman said such a development in the rural setting of the Bellevue Triangle would be completely inappropriate.
"This is not my vision for the future," he said. "I don't want to see side-walked subdivisions in the (Triangle).
"This is a real lifestyle issue. This is going to blow the hinges off the South Valley."
Still, the applicants maintained that they want to preserve the rural character of the south county and that green-building standards will be incorporated into the development, which will also have a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility.
At previous hearings, proponents of Cove Springs argued that the applicants are not typical developers looking to fatten their wallets and that they sincerely want to create a progressive, diverse, environmentally friendly community.
Michael Wickes, of Hailey, said his "gut feeling is (the proposal) is very suspect" and he questioned the "validity" of the applicants.
Brown said he resented the notion that he was in the pocket of the developers.
He said when he conducts work for conservation organizations like the Wood River Land Trust and the Nature Conservancy there are no innuendoes that his analysis may be slanted.
"I wish you would dampen that tone a little bit," Brown said to the P&Z.
The P&Z commissioners, most of whom had a laundry list of questions for the applicants, will resume their discussion of water issues Feb. 8. The hearing will begin at 6:30 p.m. with the review of wildlife-related issues. The water discussion should take center stage at about 8 p.m.
The development's impact on wildlife has been another contentious issue, with many claiming it will destroy sage grouse and elk habitat. A herd of about 100 elk inhabited the ranch in early December.
