Forum attendees updated on water efforts

SPOKANE VALLEY — Attendees at the Spokane River Forum Conference on Monday were updated on several water and river efforts in North Idaho.

Here’s a roundup of the programs:

• Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer Management Plan — An advisory committee, established in late 2009, has met three times and hopes to have a final 10-year plan during summer 2011.

The committee, which consists of water providers, utilities, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and business, government and conservation interests, would submit the plan to the Legislature in January 2012.

• Aquifer Future Demand Study — According to preliminary findings of the study, part of the aquifer management plan process, water demand from the aquifer in North Idaho will likely increase from roughly 72,000 acre feet per year now to 93,000 to 156,000 by 2060, depending on the levels of conservation.

However, more than half of the current demand goes back into the water system and the aquifer’s annual recharge level is about 1 million acre feet.

“Water demand will likely not be limited by water availability,” said Christian Petrich of SPF Engineering, adding that there may be other constraints on future water use such as new irrigation and effluent discharge limitations.

• Adjudication (claiming water rights) — Bob Haynes of Idaho Department of Water Resources said the agency originally hoped the process would conclude in 2012, but it may be two years later due to funding cutbacks.

IDWR is in the process of taking claims and recommendations on water rights. About 50,000 notices have been sent and 5,000 claims have been filed. About 30 percent of those claims have been reviewed and have staff recommendations.

• Coeur d’Alene Lake Management Plan — The Coeur d’Alene Tribe and Idaho Department of Environmental Quality are identifying funding mechanisms, increasing public awareness, developing a three-year nutrient source inventory, monitoring water quality, conducting aquatic plant surveys and strengthening partnerships after the plan was finalized in March 2009.

The plan is in response to years of mining waste in the Silver Valley entering the lake.

Residents can assist by maintaining buffers during construction, leaving native vegetation on shorelines, fencing off agricultural areas, maintaining septic systems and not over-applying fertilizers and pesticides.