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diversions. 



Cooperation among state and federal entities is improving salmon habitat 

 conditions. Idaho Department of Water Resources is working with the various 

 governmental entities to restore stream flows to dewatered reaches through water right 

 transfers and more efficient delivery. The department has also agreed to limit 

 diversions, by field regulation, to authorized quantities when necessary to insure 

 adequate passage of the salmon. 



Understanding that water conservation can help improve stream flows for 

 power production and salmon, Governor Andrus appointed a water conservation 

 committee to review existing laws and programs and hydrological issues associated 

 with water conservation to determine what additional potential exists in Idaho. 



Significant gains in irrigation efficiency have already been made. In the eastern 

 Snake River plain of Idaho, conversions from flood to sprinkler irrigation have 

 jumped from 16 percent of irrigated acreage in 1970 to 54 percent in 1990. That is a 

 penetration rate that would make utilities interested in energy conservation envious. 



There are several substantive issues that must be addressed to determine how 

 water conservation relates to improving stream flows for power production and 

 salmon. While there are benefits to having additional water in the reservoir system 

 available thorough water banks to improve stream flows, the fact is the amount of 

 water that can be "saved" from conservation cannot be enough to mitigate for the 

 impact of the mainstem dams. 



Secondly, the fact is that water not already consumed is, in reality, saved. 

 While 16 million acre feet of surface water in the Snake River basin is diverted for 

 irrigation, only six million acre feet is consumed by the crops or evaporates. The 

 other 10 million acre feet remains in the river system. 



Increased irrigation efficiency and groundwater use in the past 40 years has 

 actually decreased the spring flows at Idaho's Thousand Springs, a major tributary to 

 the Snake River. Water conservation efforts that lead to lower water diversion may 

 undermine base flows from the springs, especially during critical winter and summer 

 months that are essential to listed Snake River snail species and for power production 



