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October 7, 2016 CapitalPress.com Idaho Water Board to review rental pool rules By JOHN O’CONNELL Capital Press POCATELLO, Idaho — Idaho Water Resource Board oficials say increasing de- mands on the state’s res- ervoir storage supply have necessitated revisiting the rules governing water rental pools, especially for the Up- per Snake system. Water Board Chairman Roger Chase, of Pocatello, said the rental pool system was meant to provide a tem- porary solution for irrigators with a one-time need for water, but he’s concerned some users are viewing it as a long-term ix. “We’re going to move forward because it’s a prob- lem we have to look at to make sure we don’t create a bigger problem,” Chase said. “I anticipate we’ll have a working group — one of our subcommittees — look at it and have it on our board meeting agenda in Novem- ber or January.” Lyle Swank, watermas- ter of the Upper Snake wa- ter district, said his system’s rental pool consists of water for Bureau of Reclamation low augmentation and a common pool with 50,000 acre-feet provided by the various storage holders, and is available for lease when a user runs short. He believes it was the na- tion’s irst rental pool when the state Legislature created it in 1979. Its lease rates are based on demand. Any user who is adversely affected by the rental pool is irst in line to lease from it during the following year. Swank said some top concerns include recent in- terest in using rental pool water to irrigate new land and requests to lease rental pool water outside the basin. “One of the issues is there are people wanting to use the rental pool for additional new development at a time when other groundwater us- ers are cutting back,” Swank said. “It doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense to some people.” Swank believes the rental pool should prioritize leases intended to further the suc- cess of a recent water call settlement between the Sur- face Water Coalition and ju- nior groundwater users. In recent years, Swank said all of the available rental pool water has been leased. Furthermore, 141,000 acre- feet of water was leased privately this year, further stressing the storage system. Those who lease water privately will have their rights be last to ill during the following season. Lynn Tominaga, execu- tive director of Idaho Ground Water Appropriators Inc., said his organization shares the board’s concerns about irrigating new ground, not- ing there’s a pending appli- cation for a new water right that would be supplemented with privately leased or rent- al pool water. Tominaga ex- plained groundwater rights are the lowest priority for rental pool leases, and even a 2016 surface right would take precedent over a more senior well user’s request. “If they allow this to hap- pen — break out new ground with a very junior water right — will there be other entities that will do the same?” Tom- inaga asked. Rexburg farmer Jeff Ray- bould, who serves on the water board, explained the Committee of Nine, which advises on water operations in the Upper Snake, also has a subcommittee that annual- ly reviews rental pool rules and will coordinate with the board’s committee. Proposed rail-to-trail project unnerves Oregon farmers 3 Growers concerned about conflicts with farm practices By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press CARLTON, Ore. — Farm- er Scott Bernards has more than one reason to be nervous about bicyclists and joggers regularly traveling a stretch of abandoned railroad next to his ield. With the negative atten- tion given to pesticides in recent years, converting the decommissioned railroad into a hiking and biking trail could complicate spray operations, Bernards said. “What if I don’t even see them?” he said. Expecting him and other farmers to shut down sec- tions of the proposed 17-mile “Yamhelas Westsider Trail” between Gaston and McMin- nville when applying pesti- cides is also unrealistic, Ber- nards said. “I never know exactly when I’m going to spray,” he said. As the “rail to trail” pro- posal gains steam among Yamhill County oficials and supporters, several local farmers have been pushing back against the project. A chief concern is the re- action that urban trail users will have upon encountering common farming practices to which they object for en- vironmental or philosophical reasons. “Farming is hard enough without people from Portland telling us what to do,” said Chris Mattson, whose prop- erty is bisected by roughly 1,000 feet of the railroad. Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press Farmer Scott Bernards speaks about why he’s nervous about the potential conversion of an aban- doned railroad into a hiking and biking trail next to one of his ields near Carlton, Ore. Aside from potential con- licts with farm operations, Bernards, Mattson and other growers are worried about the prospect of increased tres- passing, ire danger and van- dalism. Mattson said he’s fenced off his property abutting the railroad because of problems with teenagers drinking, rid- ing all-terrain vehicles and dumping trash on his proper- ty. If the railroad becomes an oficial trail and attracts even more visitors, Mattson said he’s worried it will be inhab- ited by transients the way the Springwater Corridor Trail in Portland was. It is now known for homeless camps. Supporters of the rail-to- trail proposal say these con- cerns are overblown given the rural nature of the area. “This is not Springwater,” said Ken Wright, a winemak- er in Carlton who supports the project. The nearby 21-mile Banks-Vernonia State Trial — an abandoned railroad pur- chased by the state more than four decades ago — hasn’t caused increased crime or at- tracted transients, he said. “It’s more of a visceral re- action than a reality,” Wright said. “Those concerns are not justiied by history.” Conlicts between trail users and landowners also haven’t materialized, he said. “There have been no issues with farming practices up there.” New visitors to the area would spend money on restau- rants and lodgings, strength- ening Yamhill County’s busi- ness community, Wright said. Clearing brush from the overgrown railroad track would actually reduce ire hazards, and volunteers could help with the work to contain costs, he said. There’s also a legitimate reason grant dollars from the Oregon Department of Trans- portation should be invested WES & DAWN DOWNS RETIREMENT/MOVING AUCTION Friday, October 14 • 10:00AM (MT) 22278 Dixie River Rd. 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The Oregon Farm Bureau has argued that Yamhill Coun- ty commissioners should irst complete the land use pro- cess and issue a conditional use permit for the trail before spending money on the land. The Farm Bureau disagrees with the county’s view that it would be premature to begin the land use process before the county buys the railroad, said Mary Anne Nash, public policy counsel for OFB, in a letter to the commissioners. “Constructing a bike path near agricultural lands creates a host of potential conlicts and liability concerns which the county has yet to address,” the letter said. “These con- cerns should be addressed be- fore the county invests more resources in this project.” LEGAL Bag needs? Bag solutions! 41-1/#4 Go to www.downsauction.com for complete details. Nampa, ID • 208-467-1712 41-2/#17 41-2/#7 PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 98 Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be sold, for cash to the highest bidder, on 10/10/2016. 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