THE SNAKE RIVER PLAIN--CONJUNCTIVELY MANAGING UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE

The Snake River Plain aquifer in southeastern Idaho has a long history of complex water use. Aquifer hydrology has been dominated by irrigation since the early 1900s. Each major evolution in water use has precipitated unintended consequence in both aquifer and human response. Water management under the Prior Appropriation Doctrine has become increasingly challenging with rising competition between surface-water, ground-water and spring users. Changing societal priorities and extended drought have exerted further pressure on the water resources, increasing the demand for water managers to conjunctively administer the ground-water, surface-water and spring resources. Idaho water administrators have attempted to apply our best scientific understanding of the area hydrology to help craft a management plan. This talk will provide a brief history of water use on the eastern Snake River Plain, the complexities of managing the resources under the Prior Appropriation Doctrine and attempts by current administrators to balance the competing uses.