Millions in grants to fix Idaho’s aging water infrastructure approved by board

Nineteen grants were approved to help Idaho’s aging water infrastructure on Jan. 19.

The Idaho Water Resource Board approved $7.7 million in funding at its bimonthly meeting in Boise on Friday, targeting much needed fixes throughout the state.

Additionally, the board also approved $1.2 million on a 30% design plan for a collaborative regional water sustainability project with the Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District, the Nez Perce Tribe and the Bureau of Reclamation.

The 19 new aging infrastructure grants (AIG) that were awarded are the fourth round of funding in the last two years, the board reported, totaling 57 projects worth $43 million. The board stated that the projects are meant “to help modernize Idaho’s water infrastructure statewide.”

Two more rounds of funding are planned in 2024.

Projects approved for the current round of funding are:

• Black Canyon Irrigation District, Emmett; measurement modernization, $100,000 AIG, $463,397 total
• Sunnydell Irrigation District, Rexburg; canal lining project, $2 million AIG, $6.9 million total
• Jefferson Irrigation District, Jefferson County; open canal to pipeline project, $581,488 AIG, $2.5 million total
• Twin Falls Canal Co., Twin Falls; high line measurement project, $51,332 AIG, $171,106 total
• Mud Lake Water Users, Mud Lake; canal lining and pump station reconstruction, $800,000 AIG, $2.4 million total
• Jefferson Irrigation District, Jefferson County; measurement modernization, $145,648 AIG, $458,800 total
• Last Chance Canal Co., Grace; measurement modernization, $140,674 AIG, $211,000 total
• Farmers Land & Irrigation Co., Bancroft; canal diversion replacement, $89,667 AIG, $269,000 total
• Mountain Home Irrigation District, Mountain Home; tunnel 13 and 15 repairs, $394,403 AIG, $1.19 million total
• Parks and Lewisville Irrigation Co., Lewisville; SCADA Phase 2 projects, $83,852 AIG, $254,098 total
• Dalton Gardens Irrigation District, Dalton Gardens; irrigation transmission line rehabilitation project and pump house, $1.36 million AIG, $4.1 million total
• Fremont Madison Irrigation District, St. Anthony, Crosscut Canal modernization project, $26,680 AIG, $80,850 total
• American Falls Reservoir District No. 2., Shoshone; gate repair, $40,000 AIG, $135,051 total
• Teton Irrigation District, Driggs open canal to pipeline conversion, $58,008 AIG, $175,780 total
• New Sweden Irrigation District, Idaho Falls; Martin Flume relocation/expansion, $672,891 AIG, $2 million total
• Bilbrey Ditch Co., Emmett; canal automation, $40,173 AIG, $121,735 total
• Capital View Irrigation District, Eagle; pipe delivery modernization, $59,550 AIG, $198,500 total
• Moore Canal Water Users Association, Moore; conversion of open canal to enclosed pipeline, $1 million AIG, $3.2 million total

The collaborative 30% design study that was approved for $1.2 million is for the Lower Clearwater Exchange Project, which is meant to enact a water exchange between Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District and the Nez Perce Tribe. According to the board, the project is meant to “divert irrigation water from the Clearwater River to replace pumping from a declining aquifer and surface water streams that support imperiled steelhead and salmon stocks.”

Lewiston Orchards and the Nez Perce Tribe paid for the initial design work and are seeking additional cost-share funding from the Bureau of Reclamation, a release stated.