A proposed 18-hole public golf course in Quigley canyon would provide affordable golf in the south valley.
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A request for annexation by the owners of Quigley Canyon east of Hailey is causing city officials to reassess the water needs of the city. A "water balance" for the development will be finalized at the end of the week, outlining the amount of water supplied and consumed by the development.
The Quigley Green Owners LLC annexation request, which would add 379 homes and an 18-hole golf course to the city, comes at a time when many water rights are in dispute in the Big Wood River drainage, and new state regulations could further restrict Hailey's water supply.
"If this annexation causes a deficiency in the existing city water system, I'd be very surprised if it goes forward." said city attorney Ned Williamson Monday night following a public hearing on the annexation request.
Williamson called for a complete list of water rights objections associated with the development last month. He said the Idaho Department of Water Resources has objected to 10 percent of the number of acres the developer claims it has under irrigation. Other, third party objections, claim the developer is seeking more than the allowable one "miner's inch" per acre on a portion of its 7 water rights claims.
"We are covered even if we accept the IDWR's numbers," said Quigley developer David Hennessey. "We are going to be using less water with the golf course than we are right now with the alfalfa fields out there."
In addition to the golf course, and other amenities, including miles of trails, Hennessey has offered the city a municipal well site to fill a new water tank on the south side of Quigley Canyon.
Yet hydrologist and Hailey resident Wendy Pabich, Phd, presented a study of her own to the P&Z commission Monday night, which outlined water supply challenges the city could face in the near future when "conjunctive" water rights management comes to town.
Conjunctive management is an innovative regulatory practice that manages surface water, or irrigation water rights, along with groundwater, or well-pumping rights. When priority dates of the two kinds of water rights are managed together, the well user typically loses if the water is used for "consumptive uses," such as watering lawns, and golf courses.
Pabich said the city could find itself in a position where it would have to purchase "senior" water rights to supply Quigley if a dry summer causes the development to lose access to its "junior" water rights, which comprise about 3/4 of Quigley's claims.
Hailey's water rights for wells used during summer, dating from 1960 to 2001, may also have to wait in line behind many water rights within the Big Wood River Basin dating from the 1880s, when conjunctive management comes to town. Williamson said the city is actively seeking way to mitigate for the loss, including using senior water rights to recharge groundwater supplies. He also said the city may have to purchase senior water rights at some point in the future.
Pabich said senior water rights are selling for $20,000 to $50,000 per inch, or the equivalent of .02 cubic feet per second. She said if conjunctive management withdrew the 9.68 cubic feet per second that Quigley has in junior rights, it would cost the city about $15 million to replace them.
"This is not a trivial issue," she said. "I think someone should take a hard look at this."
Golf courses in Blaine County
Public courses: (no initiation fees and monthly dues)
Sun Valley Resort Golf Course: 18 holes, adding 9 more in mid-August 2008, carts mandatory.
Greens fees: $155 peak season; rates, $79 early and late season.
Season: mid-April through late Oct.
Rounds sold per year: 22,000.
Bigwood Golf Course: 9 holes.
Greens fees: $42 peak season nine holes, $74 peak season for 18 holes, $34 low season nine holes, $58 low season 18 holes. Season: 1st week of April through Nov 1st.
Rounds sold per year: 18-19,000.
Private courses: (initiation fees and membership dues)
Elkhorn Resort Golf Course: 27 holes, public after 2 p.m.
Membership fee: $25,000, $257-$404 monthly dues. Season: end of April through end of October. Rounds per year: 11,000.
Valley Club Golf Course: 27 holes.
Membership fees: $85,000 -$50,000 ( market-pricing for membership re-sales); monthly dues $595-$476. Season: mid April through end of Oct. Rounds per year: 19,000.
Proposed Quigley 18 hole course:
Season: mid-April through late October. Greens fee: $40 for locals, $86 for non-residents.
