BWGWMA Advisory Committee Overview
In 1991, IDWR designated a GWMA for the Big Wood River Basin after ground water monitoring wells showed that ground water levels were declining in the basin. In recent years, landowners with senior surface water rights in the Big Wood River and Little Wood River have alleged that ground water pumping in the upper Wood River and Silver Creek drainages was depleting flows in the rivers and reducing river flows diverted for irrigation.
This dispute resulted in attempted litigation and the submittal of several draft plans to IDWR to address the controversy. In response, IDWR the advisory committee to find a solution to the controversy.
Documents & Resources
The following documents are archived records.
Order & Final Management Plan
- Final Big Wood River Ground Water Management Area Management Plan
- Notice of May 17, 2022 Moratorium Order
- Order Establishing Moratorium in the Big Wood River Ground Water Management Area – May 17, 2022
- Notice and Service List for Order Approving Ground Water Management Plan – May 6, 2022
- Order Approving BWRGWMA Management Plan (Including Final Management Plan) – May 4, 2022
Draft Management Plan & Public Comments
- BWRGWMA Draft Management Plan (Second Revised Draft Management Plan) – April 2022
- Public Meeting Minutes BWRGWMA: Hailey, ID – March 23, 2022
Public Meeting Written Comments
- Written Comments from Cities of Bellevue and Hailey, and Sun Valley Co. – March 31, 2022
- Written Comments from Tom Mistick, Flying Heart Ranch II Subdivision – March 31, 2022
- Written Comments from Wendy and Keith Jones – March 30, 2022
- Written Comments from Wood River Ranch – March 28, 2022
- Written Comments from Dean R Rogers Inc – March 23, 2022
Draft Management Plan Comments
- BWLWWUA Comments
- Cities Comments – March 5, 2022
- South Valley & Galena GWD Comments
- NGO’s Comments – February 25, 2022
- NGO’s Comments – March 2, 2022
Related Documents
BWGWMA Advisory Committee Members
- Corey Allen, Sun Valley Company
- Cooper Brossy, Big & Little Wood Water Users Association
- Rod Hubsmith, American Falls Reservoir District 2
- Sharon Lee, Individual
- Pat McMahon, Chair, Galena Ground Water District
- Justin Stevenson, Chair, South Valley Ground Water District
- Carl Pendleton, Board Chair, Big Wood Canal Company
- Pat Purdy, Owner, Picabo Livestock Company, Inc.
- William Simon, Camas Prairie Water Users
- Nick Westendorf, Big & Little Wood Water Users Association
- Brian Yeager, Public Works Director, City of Hailey
- Ron Taylor (Ex-officio Member), Idaho State Senate
- Jack Nelsen (Ex-officio Member), Idaho House of Representatives
Management Actions & Annual Reports
The following documents are archived records.
2023 Year-End Reports: Summary of Management Actions
- BWRGWMA-GWMP CIEF Committee Report
- WD37 2023 Storage Delivery Report
- Station 10 2023 Summary
- BWRGWMA Groundwater Use Summary, 2015-2023
- BWRGWMA Ground Water Use Volumes 2019-2023
- IDWR Review of SVGWD 2023 Fallowed Acres
- South Valley GWD 2023 Report
2022 Year-End Reports: Summary of Management Actions
The Conservation, Infrastructure, and Efficiency Fund
Disclaimer
The Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) is hosting the following information on its BWGWMA Advisory Committee webpage as a courtesy to the Conservation, Infrastructure, and Efficiency Fund (CIEF) pending the creation of its own website. IDWR does not operate or manage the CIEF. The CIEF’s decisions are solely its own and may not reflect IDWR’s views, opinions, or practices.
CIEF Overview
In 2022, IDWR approved the Big Wood River Ground Water Management Area Management Plan (Plan). Among the Plan’s approved management actions is the funding and operation of the CIEF. See Section V.1.C of the Plan.
CIEF funds are used primarily for infrastructure improvements and other permanent measures that improve the efficiency of delivering senior water rights, protect ground water levels, or increase surface water flows, and for purchasing of storage water.
Individuals, entities, or organizations, including but not limited to the following, may apply for CIEF funding:
Irrigation Districts, Irrigation Boards of Control, Canal Companies, Drainage Districts, Groundwater Districts, Ditch Companies, Lateral Ditch Users Associations, Reservoir Districts, Municipal Irrigation Districts (formed per Title 42, chapter 18, Idaho Code), Municipalities, Counties, Water Districts, or any private or commercial user of consumptive water rights, including non-profit entities and conservation districts.
To be eligible for CIEF funding, projects must be located in the Big Wood River Basin within Water Districts 37 & 37B.
To see the application form, process, and award criteria, click on the links below.
CIEF Committee Members
Chairman – Larry Schoen (Surface water users above Magic)
Vice Chairman – Lou Anderson (Camas groundwater users)
Treasurer – Carl Pendleton (BWCC)
Secretary – Keri York (Conservation NGOs)
Cooper Brossy (BLWWUA)
Nick Westendorf (BLWWUA)
Pat Purdy (SVGWD)
Chris Johnson (Municipalities)
Corey Allen (Sun Valley Co)
Ex-officio non-voting – Brian Olmstead (IWRB)
CIEF Contact
Larry Schoen, CIEF Chairman – lschoen@naramail.net
Carl Pendleton, CIEF Treasurer – pendletonranch@hotmail.com
Grant Application Process
Annual Report