Feds look to increase water storage in Boise River system

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is hoping to find a way to increase water storage capacity on the Boise River system.

The Capital Press reports (https://bit.ly/2jtQTsA ) that the agency told the Idaho Water Resource Board this week that it would like to conduct a feasibility study to look for storage options.

The system provides water for about 330,000 irrigated acres of farmland in the Treasure Valley.

Roland Springer, who manages the bureau’s Snake River area office, said the study could begin as soon as this year. He said the agency is already doing some hydrologic analysis.

“We would love to get into it this year,” he said.

The study would cost $5.5 million and look at different ways of increasing the Treasure Valley water supply, including raising Arrowrock Dam 10 feet, Anderson Ranch Dam 6 feet or the Lucky Peak Dam pool 4 feet.

The proposal comes after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told officials in May that the benefits of raising Arrowrock Dam do not equal the costs.

Since May, officials from the bureau, corps and Idaho Department of Water Resources have been meeting to determine if there are other options for increasing water supply capacity on the Boise River system.

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Information from: The Capital Press (Ore.), https://www.capitalpress.com/washington