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Kempthorne adds seventh county to drought list

Gov. Dirk Kempthorne has now declared drought emergencies for seven counties. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press
Gov. Dirk Kempthorne has now declared drought emergencies for seven counties. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

CALDWELL, Idaho – Gov. Dirk Kempthorne has declared a drought emergency in a seventh Idaho county asking for help dealing with water shortages.

Kempthorne approved Canyon County’s drought declaration on Friday. Drought declarations were previously approved for Bingham, Bonneville, Butte, Custer, Freemont and Madison counties.

State officials say March streamflow predictions for the Boise River make up the fourth-lowest forecast on record at 38 percent of average.

In Bingham and Bonneville counties, this year’s runoff forecast for the South Fork of the Snake River is estimated to be 58 percent of average. Reservoir carry-over storage at the end of 2004 was 1.3 million acre-feet below average – the lowest carry-over in history.

In Butte County, precipitation levels have fallen below average for five years. The Big Lost River is expected to flow at only 48 percent of average, and the storage at Mackay Reservoir is currently 74 percent of average.

In Custer County, the Salmon River is forecast to flow at only 56 percent of average this year.

The Rangeland Drought Task Force reported in March that several springs in Custer County near Challis dried up for the first time in history.

Drought declarations are first requested by county commissioners, then approved by the Idaho Department of Water Resources and sent to the governor before the final declaration is made.

Irrigators in those counties can work with the Idaho Department of Water Resources to secure temporary water rights and make modifications to existing water rights, effective until Dec. 31.

State water experts used a formula that showed Idaho may be caught in a long-term drought cycle that occurs only once every 500 years and lasts for about four, said Idaho Department of Water Resources hydrologist Bill Ondrechen.

Idaho is moving into its sixth straight year of drought.

Last year, Kempthorne declared drought emergencies in 24 of Idaho’s 44 counties – up from 19 the previous year. Requests began in mid-April and ended in late September.