We strive to serve Idahoans by ensuring their water is conserved and available to sustain Idaho’s economy, ecosystems, and resulting quality of life.

On August 25, the Director issued the u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/CM-DC-2010-001-20260825-Notice-of-Opportunity-for-Hearing-Pursuant-to-Idaho-Code-42-1701A5.pdfu0022u003eNotice of Opportunity for Hearing Pursuant to Idaho Code § 42-1701A(5)u003c/au003e, for proposed revisions to the Sixth Final Order Regarding Methodology for Determining Material Injury to Reasonable In-season Demand and Reasonable Carryover (July 19, 2023), or u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/legal/CM-DC-2010-001/CM-DC-2010-001-20230719-Sixth-Final-Order-Regarding-Methodology.pdfu0022u003eSixth Methodology Orderu003c/au003e.rnrnu003cstrongu003eRequests for hearing must be filed in conformance with the Department’s Rules of Procedure, u003ca href=u0022https://adminrules.idaho.gov/rules/current/37/370101.pdfu0022u003eIDAPA 37.01.01u003c/au003e, and submitted to the Department no later than u003cspan style=u0022color: #ff0000;u0022u003eSeptember 1, 2026u003c/spanu003e. u003c/strongu003ernrnRequests for hearing may be emailed to u003ca href=u0022mailto:file@idwr.idaho.govu0022u003efile@idwr.idaho.govu003c/au003e, and mailed to or dropped off at your nearest IDWR office. For office locations and addresses, visit IDWR’s u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/about-idwr/contact-us/u0022u003eContactsu003c/au003e page.rnrnFor more information on the Sixth Methodology Order and to view the legal record, visit the u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/legal-matters/swc-delivery-call/u0022u003eSurface Water Coalition Delivery Callu003c/au003e and u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/delivery-call-action/swc-2010/u0022u003eDocket No. CM-DC-2010-001u003c/au003e webpages.

On August 14, the Department mailed adjudication Commencement Notices for Basin 98 to approximately 5,500 residents within the Kootenai River Basin Adjudication (KRBA) boundary. For more information on the Commencement Notice for Basin 98, and the KRBA, please refer to the FAQs and resources on the u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/water-rights/adjudication/krba/u0022u003eKRBA webpageu003c/au003e.rnrnu003cstrongu003eThe claims filing deadline in the KRBA is u003cspan style=u0022color: #ff0000;u0022u003eJune 4, 2027u003c/spanu003e.u003c/strongu003e

On July 21, Director Weaver issued the u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/CM-DC-2010-001-20260721-Order-Revising-April-2026-Forecast-Supply-and-Continuing-Curtailment-Methodology-Steps-5-6.pdfu0022u003eOrder Revising April 2026 Forecast Supply and Continuing May 14, 2026 Curtailment Order (Methodology Steps 5 u0026amp; 6)u003c/au003ernrnu003cstrongu003eThe predicted In-season Demand Shortfall is 741,100 acre-feet.u003c/strongu003ernrnThe May 14, 2026 Curtailment Order, as modified by the June 17, 2026 u003cemu003eOrder Amending Curtailment List to Include Unmitigated Ground Water Rightsu003c/emu003e, remains in full force and effect. All ground water users holding water rights listed in Attachment A to the May 14, 2026 Curtailment Order and listed in the June 17, 2026 u003cemu003eOrder Amending Curtailment List to Include Unmitigated Ground Water Rightsu003c/emu003e bearing u003cstrongu003epriority dates junior to October 11, 1900u003c/strongu003e, shall continue to be curtailed from diversion and use of ground water pursuant to those water rights unless they are mitigating in accordance with an approved mitigation plan or are notified by the Department that the order of curtailment has been modified or rescinded as to their water rights.rnrnFor more information, visit the u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/legal-matters/swc-delivery-call/u0022u003eSurface Water Coalition Delivery Callu003c/au003e webpage. To view past Orders and filings in this matter, visit u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/delivery-call-action/swc-2010/u0022u003eDocket No. CM-DC-2010-001u003c/au003e.

In May 2026, IDWR released the u003ca href=u0022https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/b7c36b3a2b014b79b3c2c2b24a17ad21/page/Find-Trust-Water-Rightsu0022u003eTrust Water Rights (TWR) Interactive Mapu003c/au003e. The TWR Map is a tool developed for Trust Water Right holders and water resource managers to monitor flow rates at Swan Falls Dam and view all Trust Water Rights in Idaho.rnrnTo learn more about Trust Water Rights and the Swan Falls Settlement, visit IDWR’s u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/settlements/swan-falls-settlement/u0022u003eSwan Falls Settlement webpageu003c/au003e.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnu0026nbsp;

Director Weaver issued his u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/20260413-OrderDeclaringDroughtEmergency-StatewideDeclaration.pdfu0022u003eOrder Declaring Drought Emergencyu003c/au003e for the state of Idaho on April 13th, following Governor Little’s approval of the order.rnrnThe emergency drought declaration allows water users to apply for temporary changes to their water rights for the remainder of 2026 to help mitigate negative impacts to their operations due to drought.rnrnFor Idaho, Winter 2025/2026 was the second warmest winter since 1896. The state received a record-low snowpack and warm temperatures accelerated snowmelt in March, a month earlier than normal. Nearly all Idaho’s basins were classified within drought conditions as of April 1st based on the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) SNOTEL SWE indices. Additionally, NRCS forecasts indicate that streamflow in at least 19 Idaho basins will be in some level of drought this year.rnrnFor more information, visit IDWR’s u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/water-data/drought-declarations/u0022u003eDrought Declarationsu003c/au003e and u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/news-releases/u0022u003eNews Releasesu003c/au003e webpages.

u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/20260320-Final-Order-Establishing-Southern-Canyon-County-Temporary-Moratorium.pdfu0022u003eNotice of Moratorium for the South Canyon County Areau003c/au003ernrnPublic concern over pending development of groundwater use and future groundwater availability in the south Canyon County area has grown in recent years. On March 20, 2026, the Director issued a temporary, five-year moratorium for the south Canyon County area.rnrnDuring the temporary moratorium period, IDWR will continue to monitor groundwater levels in the area, gather the data needed to quantify and model south Canyon County’s groundwater resources, and identify potential impacts to the system from regional injection wells and pending groundwater use development.rnrnVisit IDWR’s u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/legal-matters/orders/moratorium-orders/u0022u003eMoratorium Ordersu003c/au003e webpage for more information and to view the order.rnrnVisit IDWR’s u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/water-data/projects/treasure-valley/u0022u003eTreasure Valley Groundwater Flow Modelu003c/au003e webpage to stay up-to-date on activities regarding the model.

u003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eThe 2025 Idaho Legislature passed u003ca href=u0022https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2025/legislation/S1083/u0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022s1u0022u003eSenate Bill 1083au003c/spanu003eu003c/au003e revising several statutes dealing with domestic uses of water, shared wells, and subdivisions. u003cbu003eThese statutory changes areu003c/bu003e u003cbu003eeffective on July 1, 2025u003c/bu003e.u003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eThe changes to Idaho Code §§ u003ca href=u0022https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title42/t42ch1/sect42-111/u0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022s1u0022u003e42-111u003c/spanu003eu003c/au003e and u003ca href=u0022https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/Title42/T42CH2/SECT42-227/u0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022s1u0022u003e42-227u003c/spanu003eu003c/au003e modified the requirements for establishing a water right for domestic purposes without applying to IDWR for a permit.  This opportunity is sometimes called the “domestic exemption.”u003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eFor more information or to learn if your water use qualifies for a domestic exemption, visit u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/domestic-exemption/u0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022s1u0022u003eu003cbu003eIDWR’s Domestic Exemption webpageu003c/bu003eu003c/spanu003eu003c/au003eu003c/pu003e

Stay informed about the latest news and announcements from the Idaho Department of Water Resources and the Idaho Water Resource Board. Visit our u003ca href=u0022https://idwr.idaho.gov/about-idwr/news-releases/u0022u003eu003cstrongu003eNews Releasesu003c/strongu003eu003c/au003e webpage to view current and archived news.