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November 24, 2017 CapitalPress.com 13 Idaho tops 100,000 acre-feet in fall recharge By JOHN O’CONNELL Capital Press BOISE — An Idaho De- partment of Water Resources official says it’s been a record fall for the state’s aquifer re- charge program, which has already injected more than 100,000 acre-feet of surplus surface water into the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer. The state has a special wa- ter right for recharge, which remains in priority in the Lower Snake, downstream of Minidoka Dam, from at least the end of the irrigation sea- son in fall until the start of the new irrigation season the next spring. Upper Snake recharge is typically in priority only during especially wet springs, when flood-control releases must be made from reservoirs. The program pays partic- ipating irrigation entities to allow surface water to seep through their unlined canals and adjacent spill basins into the aquifer to help reverse a long-term trend of declining groundwater levels. Wes Hipke, who manag- es the recharge program, es- timates the state is on track to recharge at least 280,000 acre-feet this season, not counting recharge that is like- ly to occur in the Upper Val- ley next spring or in the Big Idaho Department of Water Resources Aquifer recharge is conducted in late September at the Aber- deen-Springfield Canal Co.’s Hilton Spillway, contributing toward a state fall recharge program that has already topped 100,000 acre-feet. Wood and Little Wood river systems. The state has set a goal of averaging 250,000 acre-feet of recharge annually. “I’m optimistic of being able to do as good as last year, and with the right conditions I can do better,” Hipke said, adding he’s already 76,000 acre-feet ahead of last sea- son’s recharging pace. Hipke said the state re- charged 317,000 acre-feet in 2016-2017, but didn’t top 100,000 acre-feet in either of the previous two seasons. During the past three sea- sons, Hipke said there’s been 500 cubic feet per second of flows available for Lower Snake fall recharge, but the state has had the capacity to recharge no more than 250 cubic feet per second. This season, following an abnor- mally wet winter, Hipke said reservoirs ended the season with 70 percent carryover, and water managers have al- ready started making releases to free space for future runoff. Hipke said the state, which normally starts with fall re- charge in November, com- menced with its program on Aug. 30 this season. In the Lower Snake, the state has been recharging 900 cubic feet per second, of 2,000 cu- bic feet per second now avail- able, mostly using the recent- ly developed Shoshone spill basin and expanded Milepost 31 site, operated by American Falls Reservoir District No. 2. Hipke said the state may lose 250 cubic feet per second of capacity if ice blocks access to the Shoshone site when freezing weather arrives. In the Upper Snake, Hip- ke said the state had already recharged more than 61,000 acre-feet by the end of Octo- ber, using storage water do- nated by the Surface Water Coalition, which received it as mitigation for a water call settlement. Immediately after the storage ran out, the state’s recharge right in the Upper Valley come into priority. At the peak, Hipke said the state was recharging 1,300 cfs in the Upper Snake, but has since cut back to 700 cfs, as some canal companies have closed their systems to make repairs. Aaron Dalling, assistant manager with Fremont-Mad- ison Irrigation District, said the Egin Bench Canal Co., which his district serves, has lowered its sharehold- er assessments by about 30 percent, thanks to fees its re- ceived for conducting Upper Snake recharge. “We’re hoping to help the aquifer, but wheeling fees are nice, too,” Dalling said. Officials urge ranchers to report all cattle deaths By CAROL RYAN DUMAS Capital Press SUN VALLEY, Idaho — Coming across a dead cow in the herd with no outward signs of what killed her often leaves cattlemen guessing about the cause. But they shouldn’t assume it was poison, bloat, a broken neck or that she got stuck on her back. Her death could have been caused by a wolf, Todd Grimm, Idaho state director of USDA Wildlife Services, said during the Idaho Cattle Asso- ciation annual convention. A wolf’s teeth are blunt and not meant to rip, puncture or tear; they’re meant to crush muscle. Because of their thick hides, a majority of adult cattle killed by wolves show no out- ward signs of the attack. But they do show subcutaneous hemorrhaging and bite marks under the hide, he said. Those clues can help inves- tigators confirm a wolf depre- dation — but only if cattlemen report the death. The agency is urging cattlemen to report all deaths and to leave the carcass undisturbed to preserve the ev- idence. In the past 22 years, the agency has confirmed 750 wolf depredations in cattle, affecting 400 producers in 32 counties in Idaho. But deaths from wolves are likely much higher, he said, adding that the science says that for every kill confirmed, there are probably six or seven more. The agency needs addition- al data to take to the preda- tor control board to show the Carol Ryan Dumas/Capital Press Greg Jones, a trapper/gunner for USDA Wildlife Services, updates ranchers on wolf depredation during the Idaho Cattle Association annual convention in Sun Valley on Nov. 13, while Todd Grimm, Wildlife Services Idaho state director, stands by. problem is bigger than esti- mated to ease the restrictions it faces on wolf removal. And it’s had success in do- ing that in the McCall zone, a chronic depredation area, where ranchers have respond- ed to the agency’s request to report all livestock deaths. This year, the agency has confirmed 70 wolf depreda- tions of cattle in the region, compared to 32 in 2016. The increase in confirmed deaths is not just from more wolf ac- tivity, but also from the agen- cy paying more attention and ranchers calling the agency to look at every carcass, Grimm said. “We realize there are a lot more kills that cattleman aren’t identifying,” said Greg Jones, a trapper-gunner with USDA Wildlife Services. The agency has found many of those mysterious deaths show signs of exertion- al myopathy, which could be caused by the stress of being chased by a wolf. It’s found dead cows with grass or dirt pushed up in their nostrils, indicating a face plant. Other signs are animals with nose in legs out, buckled hoofs, legs straight out and no ground disturbances around the carcass, which would sig- nify a struggle — such as be- ing stuck in the mud or trying to get up. “She’s dead on her feet be- fore she hits the ground,” he said. While there might be no external signs of a wolf attack, investigators can skin the car- cass to look for subcutaneous hemorrhaging with associated bite marks that can confirm wolf depredation. If ranchers find a dead ani- mal, the agency wants to look at it, he said. “We need to look at it so we can confirm. If you see some- thing, don’t just run on by,” he said. The only way to reduce wolf depredation is to remove more wolves, and the agency needs the data to do that, he said. Increased depredations in chronic areas have led the agency to look at more animals it can confirm, and myopathy is playing a part, Grimm said. “The bottom line is it doesn’t cost anybody any time or money to have us come out and look at it at the least,” he said. Even if it’s in backcountry, cattlemen can report the death and GPS coordinates of a dead animal and the agency will in- vestigate. It has also been able to confirm wolf depredation on scavenged carcasses, he said. John O’Connell/Capital Press Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little addresses potato growers during a forum for Idaho gubernatorial candidates hosted Nov. 14 during the Idaho Potato Commission’s Big Potato Harvest Meeting in Fort Hall. Candidates for Idaho governor address potato growers By JOHN O’CONNELL Capital Press FORT HALL, Idaho — Two Republican candidates for Idaho governor shared their visions with potato farmers Nov. 14 on topics such as helping rural Amer- ica, providing relief for small business owners and reversing the trend of Idaho youths leaving the state to start careers. Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little, a third-genera- tion rancher, and Tommy Ahlquist, a developer, busi- ness owner and emergency room doctor, spoke during the Idaho Potato Commis- sion’s Big Idaho Potato Harvest Meeting, hosted at the Shoshone-Bannock Ho- tel and Event Center. Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, is also among the front-runners in the race for governor but couldn’t at- tend the forum due to votes in Washington, D.C. Little emphasized that Idaho leads the nation in both job and income growth, and he believes the state’s large cities are ben- efiting from increasingly diversified economies. “We’re on a pretty good trajectory,” Little said. “Idaho has one of the most solid fiscal positions of all 50 states, and vastly supe- rior to the federal govern- ment.” But Little said he’s concerned about rural Ida- ho, and described how his hometown, Emmett, lost its major employer when its sawmill closed. Little said the potato industry has been “in the lead” of adding value to its commodity in Idaho, pro- cessing potatoes into fro- zen products at local plants, and he believes other Idaho commodities must follow suit. Little said he’s par- ticipated in foreign trade missions to develop new foreign markets for Idaho agricultural products. He also emphasized the need to better prepare students as early as seventh grade for careers that may not require a college degree, such as working in a modern Idaho food processing plant. Ahlquist, who grew up on a small farm in Hunt- er, Utah, has worked as an emergency room doctor, is chief operating officer of the real estate development company Garden Co., and is a founder of Stat PADS, a major manufacturer of medical defibrillators. “Idaho feeds the world, and I want you to know that I understand that,” said Ahlquist, who has chosen an Oakley farmer, Todd Cranney, as his “right-hand man” for his first campaign for public office. Ahlquist said he empa- thizes with farmers, who run small businesses, be- cause he’s encountered “stifling” state and federal regulations as a business owner. He hopes to change the state’s business culture. “In Idaho, if you are a special interest group or a big company, you will be taken care of,” Ahlquist said. “But if you are a fam- ily or small business in Ida- ho, you won’t be.” Ahlquist believes the state is too focused on col- lege education and ought to place greater emphasis on preparing students for “the jobs sitting all around us,” including appren- ticeships and work-study programs. Ahlquist also supports “rolling back regulations that have destroyed medi- cine” and suggests the state needs a “crash course on ethics in politics,” especial- ly pertaining to campaign finance laws. Labrador, who has been invited to address potato growers during the Uni- versity of Idaho’s late-Jan- uary potato conference in Pocatello, submitted a statement to Capital Press highlighting his efforts on behalf of agriculture. Labrador said he intro- duced legislation that has streamlined grazing permit renewals, and he’s pro- posed legislation to force environmentalists to pay legal fees for “frivolous lawsuits.” Extension of farm bill expected No quick Hirst fix, Farm Bureau told By DAN WHEAT By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press Capital Press SPOKANE — An econ- omist and a consultant say they expect the current farm bill to be extended for a year, and farmers ultimately won’t see much change when new legislation passes. Washington State Uni- versity small grains econo- mist Randy Fortenbery said he expects at least a year ex- tension of the current farm bill. Even with a new bill, Fortenbery said, the pro- grams will likely be similar to the current farm bill. Fortenbery expects some budget cuts, which will im- pact the redesign of the bill’s Agriculture Risk Coverage program, or ARC. Issues will include wheth- er switching between ARC and the Price Loss Coverage program will be allowed, or if those programs will even survive, Fortenbery said. Farm groups so far disagree on which changes should be made, Fortenbery said, add- ing that agriculture should YAKIMA, Wash. — Ru- ral Democrats may join Re- publicans on specific issues but don’t expect them to give Republicans a majority in the state Legislature, a legislative watcher says. Democrats will control the state Senate by one vote start- ing in January and already control the House by one vote. While such thin margins have caused switch overs in the past, don’t expect it next year. That’s what Todd Myers, director of the Center for the Environment at the Washing- ton Policy Center, told attend- ees at the Washington Farm Bureau annual meeting at the Yakima Convention Center. Democrats are talking about passing a state capital budget but they still need 60 percent of the vote so it prob- ably will remain in stalemate over the unpopular state Su- preme Court Hirst ruling on water, said Myers, a former executive team member of the state Department of Natural Resources and author of “Eco- present a unified voice to Congress. ARC and PLC provide farmers with protection against market downturns, according to USDA. The in- dividual or county ARC pro- tects farmers against revenue drops either at the individual level or based on county pric- es and yields as published by USDA. PLC provides pay- ments when the market year average price for an eligible commodity falls below the crop’s reference price in the 2014 Farm Bill. Crop insurance will re- main the primary safety net, Fortenbery said, but rates of return for insurers and par- ticipation restrictions may be on the table. Economics research and training consultant Matt Roberts, founder of the Kernmantle Group, also ex- pects a one-year extension with small changes, and then “the real bill” will be written in 2019 and will be a “rela- tively minor update” of the 2014 bill. “We don’t have wide- spread dissatisfaction with the Farm Bill like we’ve had in some previous years,” he said. “There are some groups that are unhappy with it — cotton’s very unhappy, dairy’s very unhappy. Most others may not love it, but we’re generally not seeing hatred of it.” Fads: How the Rise of Trendy Envi- ronmentalism is Harming the Environment.” The Hirst Todd Myers decision is shutting down development by requiring studies for authorization of new wells. Senate Republi- cans, in control until they lost a seat in the Nov. 7 election, refused to pass a capital bud- get without relief from the Hirst decision. “Will it be the fix we all want? It will not. I can tell you that right now. There will be elements we will all cringe at but it will be better than what it is now,” Myers said of any legislative Hirst resolution. He also said it won’t happen anytime soon. Myers said he and a couple other members of the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council were able to dissuade the council from working for legislation to codify the Hirst decision. He mentioned that as an example of what the Washington Research Coun- cil, an independent, nonprofit think tank, is doing through its new agricultural compo- nent. He said the Building In- dustry Association of Wash- ington estimates a $37 billion loss in property values in the state due to the inability to drill wells because of the Hirst decision. “Even if the number is half that, it’s a huge cost and com- pared to the benefit is exces- sive,” he said. The state Department of Ecology has said domestic well use is about 1 percent of total consumptive water use in the state so curtailing well expansion doesn’t save a lot of water, he said. While more water in streams helps reduce water temperature for fish, it’s hard, he said, to evaluate the connection between wells, streams, temperatures and fish, making it hard to abide by the ruling. “The frustrating thing to me is the ruling is very di- visive and has set us back in working to solve water issues. That’s as high a cost as the fi- nancial cost,” he said.
