“I am pleased with the results of the negotiations between the groundwater districts and the Surface Water Coalition. The recent Water Curtailment Order from the Idaho Department of Water Resources is a stark reminder of Idaho’s prior appropriation doctrine of “first in time is first in right.” The realistic fears of water users with junior priority water rights are very legitimate. For users that depend on groundwater for crops and livestock, the economic result of water curtailment is devastating. Consequently, the entire community of surface water and groundwater users must continue to work together and reach a resolution. A lasting consensus solution is the only way to avoid annual repetition of this crisis. My office is committed to help find a permanent solution to this problem.”
– Attorney General Raúl Labrador
Orignal source can be found here.