States findings of the Legislature and supports increasing water storage in the state.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 14 BY RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE A JOINT MEMORIAL1 TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, TO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, TO2 THE COMMISSIONER OF THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION, TO THE SENATE AND THE3 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED,4 AND TO THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION REPRESENTING THE STATE OF IDAHO IN5 THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.6 We, your Memorialists, the House of Representatives and the Sen-7 ate of the State of Idaho assembled in the Second Regular Session of the8 Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, do hereby respectfully represent that:9 WHEREAS, water is the foundation of Idaho's farms, communities, and10 economy, yet the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer continues to decline, forcing11 water curtailments that now threaten farmers and ground water users every12 year; and13 WHEREAS, Idaho faces longer, hotter summers and warmer winters that re-14 duce snowpack and cause runoff to occur earlier in the year, leaving less wa-15 ter available when it is needed most; and16 WHEREAS, the State of Idaho irrigates more acres than ever before, but17 shrinking and inconsistent snowpack has created shortages that harm farms,18 cities, fish, and industry; and19 WHEREAS, Idaho loses between 1.5 and 2 million acre-feet of water each20 year as it flows down the Snake River and out to the ocean simply because the21 state lacks sufficient reservoir space to capture it; and22 WHEREAS, while aquifer recharge has proven to be an effective tool, it23 cannot be sustained without additional late-season water derived from stor-24 age; and25 WHEREAS, the Idaho Legislature has demonstrated its commitment to water26 infrastructure through significant annual appropriations, and the people of27 Idaho have demonstrated broad public support for the research and construc-28 tion of new reservoirs and expanded storage capacity; and29 WHEREAS, to secure the future of our farms, communities, and economy,30 Idaho must commit to a long-term vision to build 750,000 acre-feet of new wa-31 ter storage by the year 2100; and32 WHEREAS, practical near-term solutions have been identified, including33 modest raises at Minidoka Dam, Jackson Lake, and American Falls Dam; and34 WHEREAS, mid-range and long-term opportunities exist for new reser-35 voirs at locations such as Lane Lake, Chester, Soda Springs, Upper Badger36 Creek, Spring Creek, Moody Creek, and other potential sites, which would37 offer hydropower, extended irrigation seasons, flood protection, and recre-38 ation.39 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Ses-40 sion of the Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and41 the Senate concurring therein, that the Legislature respectfully urges the42

2 United States Congress, the Department of the Interior, and the Bureau of1 Reclamation to cooperate with the State of Idaho to:2 (1) Move forward immediately with fast-track research on the feasi-3 bility and desirability of small reservoir raises at Minidoka Dam, Jackson4 Lake, and American Falls Dam;5 (2) Support planning and design work for new medium-sized reservoirs6 across eastern Idaho;7 (3) Facilitate creative financing options through federal funds and8 public-private partnerships; and9 (4) Assist in the completion of an updated basin study in the next two to10 three years to identify priority projects.11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State of Idaho commits to the goal of12 "750k by 2100" by creating 750,000 acre-feet of new water storage by the year13 2100 to turn today's water shortage into tomorrow's water security.14 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the House of Representa-15 tives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this16 Memorial to the President of the United States, to the Secretary of the Inte-17 rior, to the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, to the President of18 the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress, and19 to the congressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in the Con-20 gress of the United States.21