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ID S1412
Bill
Status
3/17/2014
Primary Sponsor
State Affairs Committee
Click for details
AI Summary
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Water may be released or diverted from natural watercourses, storage reservoirs, canals, or drains to extinguish or prevent fires without a water right, with such diversions not charged to existing water rights and coordinated with water right owners when practicable.
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Forest practices and forest dust abatement water uses are exempt from permit requirements, limited to 0.2 acre-feet per day from a single watercourse, with notice required to watermasters or irrigation delivery entities.
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Prior to granting new Snake River water rights (other than domestic purposes), the Department of Water Resources director must determine the impact on water available for storage in Snake River reservoirs upstream from Brownlee Reservoir and require mitigation plans if new rights would reduce storable water.
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Applicants bear the burden of proof regarding mitigation plans for new water rights affecting Snake River storage capacity.
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Flood control releases from Arrowrock, Anderson Ranch, and Lucky Peak Reservoirs on the Boise River shall not be charged to storage water rights unless the released water is actually put to beneficial use.
Legislative Description
Amends existing law to revise exemption provisions relating to the release and diversion of water; to provide for releases and diversions from natural watercourses, storage reservoirs, canals and drains for designated purposes; to provide that certain diversions and releases of water shall not be attributed or charged to the satisfaction of a water right and shall, to the extent practicable, be coordinated with the water right owner; to provide that the director of the Department of Water Resources shall determine the impact of a requested water right upon water available to store in reservoirs in the Snake River and its tributaries upstream from Brownlee Reservoir prior to granting a vested water right for water of the Snake River or surface or ground water tributary to the Snake River other than for domestic purposes; to provide that releases of water from specified reservoirs for flood control purposes shall not be attributed or charged to the satisfaction of storage water rights for the reservoirs unless the released water is put to beneficial use pursuant to the water right.
WATER
Last Action
U.C. to Lay on the Table
3/17/2014