11/05/09

Thursday in Boise, the Idaho Water Users Association held their fall water law and resource seminar, and discussed a variety of topics. Hundreds of people gathered at the Doubletree Riverside Hotel in Boise to talk about water resources, among other topics. Panels of experts talked about a wide spectrum of critical and controversial natural resource issues, as well as legal issues.

Norman Semanko, Executive Director of the Idaho Water Users Association says, "Directly related to that is the biological opinion for the Upper Snake Projects throughout Idaho - what we do - all the upper Snake above Milner, all the Boise projects stuff."

Water issues weren't the only topics discussed; officials also talked about legal issues facing the Idaho dairy industry, and how Idaho and the Bureau of Reclamation are handling snails and mussels.

Semanko says, "It looks like they've done their job - they've made sure science has been reviewed, they've made sure that everything has been adhered to.

Officials also talked about the comprehensive aquifer management plan update, and aquifer storage; issues of money were also discussed.

Barry Burnell, who represents that Idaho Department of Environmental Quality says, "The legislature did give our board the authority to propagate rules - we have not done that. We think that before a step like that should be taken, the funding issue should be explored.”

For more information visit www.idua.org; the meeting will wrap up Friday.