Stating findings of the Legislature and recognizing the need for managed recharge of the ESPA and resolving that the state establish certain managed recharge goals.

The purpose of this Resolution is: 1) to establish an Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer managed recharge goal of 250,000 acre-feet on an average annual basis; 2) to direct the development of the capacity necessary to achieve the ESPA recharge goal on or before December 31, 2024; and 3) to provide LegislativeapprovaltoincreasetheESPACAMPPhaseImanagedrechargefrom100,000acre-feet to 250,000 acre-feet average annual managed recharge. As more fully described in the Resolution, these measures are necessary to address the declining ground water levels in the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer. Since 1952 the total volume of water stored in the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer have decreased by an average of 216,000 acre-feet and spring flow discharges in the Thousand Springs reach are nearing 1912 measured flows. In absence of implementation of a managed recharge program across the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer, there will be inadequate water supplies to provide a reasonably safe supply for all water users, which will lead to more protracted litigation andincreasingeconomicharmtotheStateofIdaho. Whilemanagedrechargewillnotaloneresolve the decline in the ground water levels, it is one of the measures that will be required to stabilize and enhance ground water levels in the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer.