Moratorium Orders

Listed below are geographic areas in Idaho which have been impacted by orders establishing, modifying, and rescinding water development moratoriums. Please click on each geographic area below to view related moratorium orders and explanations.

Banbury Hot Springs

Final Order Amending Order Staying Approval of Applications and Suspending Further Development of Permits to Appropriate Ground Water – August 4, 2011

An order staying approval of pending applications and suspending further development of existing permits for ground water use within the Banbury Hot Springs GWMA. This includes domestic purposes with some exceptions.

Bancroft-Lund

Final Moratorium Order and Final Order Dissolving the Bancroft-Lund Ground Water Management Area – August 31, 2004

Big Wood River Ground Water Management Area

Amended Order Establishing Moratorium – July 8, 2024

A post-hearing order amending the established moratorium on new and pending applications to appropriate water in the Big Wood River Ground Water Management Area.

Order Establishing Moratorium – May 17, 2022

An order establishing a moratorium on new and pending applications to appropriate water in the Big Wood River Ground Water Management Area and repealing the 1991 Management Policy for the Big Wood River Ground Water Management Area.

Order Approving Ground Water Management Plan – May 4, 2022

An order approving the April 19, 2022 Final Big Wood River Ground Water Management Area Management Plan.

Boise Front Low Temperature Geothermal Resource Ground Water Management Area

Order Extending Moratorium in the Boise Front Low Temperature Geothermal Resource Ground Water Management Area – May 3, 2024

An order extending the existing Moratorium associated with the Boise Front Low Temperature Geothermal Resource Ground Water Management Area for an additional three years was signed on May 3, 2024, by Deputy Director Shelley Keen.

Boise Front GWMA Moratorium – June 10, 1988

An order establishing a 5-year moratorium to prevent further development or additional use of the low temperature geothermal resource within the Boise Front Low Temperature Geothermal Resource GWMA. Note: This moratorium was extended for additional 5-year periods currently through May 5, 2024.

Malad Valley Ground Water Management Area

Order Extending Temporary Moratorium – November 3, 2022

An order extending the temporary moratorium on new and pending applications to appropriate water in the Malad Valley Ground Water Management Area for 5 years.

Order Extending Temporary Moratorium – November 3, 2017

An order extending the temporary moratorium on new and pending applications to appropriate water in the Malad Valley Ground Water Management Area for 5 years.

Order Designating Malad Valley GWMA and Establishing Temporary Moratorium – November 4, 2015

An order establishing a 2-year moratorium on new and pending applications to appropriate water in the Malad Valley Ground Water Management Area.

Salmon-Clearwater Basin Moratorium and Wilderness Moratorium

Order Rescinding Salmon - Clearwater Basin Moratorium and Wilderness Moratorium – November 9, 2005

Wilderness Area Moratorium – October 26, 1999

A final order putting in place a moratorium on applications and permits for the diversion and use of surface water and ground water in and tributary to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area, Gospel-Hump Wilderness Area, and Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area.

Salmon and Clearwater River Basins – April 30, 1993

An order establishing a moratorium on the processing of applications to appropriate surface water within the Salmon and Clearwater River basins.

Snake River Moratoriums

Amended Snake River Basin Moratorium Order – July 16, 2024

A post-hearing amended moratorium order that expands the existing Eastern Snake River Plain Moratorium to include consumptive use of all surface and ground water tributary to the reach of the Snake River between King Hill and Swan Falls Dam to protect existing water rights, including decreed minimum stream flow water rights. This order modifies certain exceptions related to domestic uses and clarifies the application of the non-consumptive use exception to municipal water use and domestic water use. This order also re-establishes a moratorium on the issuance of permits for new consumptive uses from surface and ground water tributary to the Snake River upstream from Milner Dam to protect existing water rights

Snake River Basin – October 21, 2022

An amended moratorium order expanding the existing Eastern Snake River Plain Moratorium to include consumptive use of all surface and ground water tributary to the reach of the Snake River between King Hill and Swan Falls Dam to protect existing water rights, including decreed minimum stream flow water rights.

Boise River Drainage – May 3, 1995

An amended moratorium order removing the Boise River drainage from the moratorium established in 1992 for the Snake River Basin. Subject to conditions to protect existing water users within the Boise River drainage.

Eastern Snake Plain and Boise River Drainage – April 30, 1993

An amended moratorium order dealing with surface water and ground water within the Eastern Snake River Plain area and the Boise River Drainage Area and rescinding redundant Mud Lake and Big Lost River moratorium orders.

Ground and Surface Water Upstream From Milner Dam – January 6, 1993

A moratorium order designed to replace the May 15, 1992 moratorium order for the non-trust water area. Note: This moratorium expired on December 31, 1997

Order amending Moratorium Order dated May 15, 1992 – January 6, 1993

A moratorium order that amended certain parts of the moratorium order originally issued May 15, 1992 dealing with applications for permits from ground and surface water upstream from the USGS gauge on the Snake River near Weiser. The order removed the non-trust water area from the original order. Note: Amended April 30, 1993.

Snake River Basin Upstream From Weiser – May 15, 1992

The original moratorium order dealing with the applications for permit for diversion and use of surface water and ground water in the Snake River Basin upstream from the USGS gauge on the Snake River near Weiser. Note: Amended January 6, 1993.

Twin Falls Ground Water Management Area Moratorium

Order Extending Moratorium – July 11, 2024

An order indefinitely extending the existing moratorium in the Twin Falls Ground Water Management Area.

Order Establishing A Five Year Moratorium – July 24, 1987

An order establishing a five year moratorium on new geothermal development for a limited area within the Twin Falls Ground Water Management Area. This moratorium was extended in 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2008, and 2013.