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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Western States Water Council <br />Full Council Minutes <br /> <br />Boise, Idaho <br />April 22, 2005 <br /> <br />split in dry years, and 60-40% usually, compared to their 50-50% Treaty entitlement. In October, we <br />took the first step to open the 1921 order. Montana is showing good science, while Canada's response <br />is that it has fully developed all the water and it would be a problem to adjust now. <br /> <br />Idaho <br /> <br />Karl Dreher added that Idaho's decreed water rights are administered through water districts <br />created by the director through local watermasters. Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESPA) reporting on <br />springs and wells and calibration are continuing model costs and will be assessed to water districts, but <br />it is not called a water use fee, and it allows the director to apportion costs for districts to budget for. <br />Domestic wells are a problem for Idaho as well. A farmer subdivides land and sells the surface water <br />first, then drills a well for a subdivision with 13,000 gallons/day use which is exempt from regulation. <br />In the Treasure Valley, Karl is requiring irrigated surface lands converted to subdivisions to retain that <br />water for outside irrigation (which has been codified by the legislature). <br /> <br />. Colorado <br /> <br />Hal reported no new wells are permitted without surface stream augmentation, except for <br />indoor usage. A subdivider has to have an augmentation plan. South of 1-70, the state is experiencing <br />140 % of average snowpack, but to the North it is only 80 %. Due to the 2002 drought, given <br />legislative changes, we have shut down 1000 wells along the Platte River. They can't find <br />augmentation water. The market is $10,000 af/ft for water for municipal consumptive use. It is drying <br />up irrigated lands. The Colorado Legislature in both Houses is controlled by Democrats, with a <br />Republican Governor. One bill, HB 1177 creates a task force to attempt to negotiate interbasin and <br />basin of origin issues within Colorado, and move some more water West to East. <br /> <br />FUTURE COUNCIL MEETINGS <br /> <br />The next Council meetings will be held in Seattle, Washington at the Red Lion Hotel on Fifth <br />Avenue on July 13-15. The 149th meetings will be in San Antonio, Texas at the Menger Hotel on <br />October 19-21, 2005. <br /> <br />OTHER MATTERS <br /> <br />There being no other matters, the meeting was adjourned. <br /> <br />F:\MINUTES\147COUNCJD <br /> <br />15 <br />