States findings of the Legislature and supports various water projects within Water District 2.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026 IN THE SENATE SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 119 BY RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION1 STATING FINDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE REGARDING WATER DISTRICT 2 AND SUPPORT-2 ING VARIOUS ASSOCIATED PROJECTS.3 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:4 WHEREAS, Water District 2 of the Idaho Water Resource Board (IWRB),5 encompassing the rapidly growing Southwest region including Ada, Adams,6 Boise, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, Valley, and Washington coun-7 ties, represents the population and economic hub of the State of Idaho; and8 WHEREAS, the reliable management of water resources in District 2 is es-9 sential for sustaining the agricultural heritage of the Treasure and Payette10 Valleys, supporting the rapid urbanization of the Boise metropolitan area,11 ensuring the operational viability of Mountain Home Air Force Base (MHAFB),12 and managing the delicate balance of the Treasure Valley Aquifer System; and13 WHEREAS, IWRB has identified, funded, and overseen numerous projects14 critical to expanding storage capacity, stabilizing declining aquifers, and15 modernizing legacy infrastructure to meet future demands.16 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Ses-17 sion of the Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the Senate and the House of Rep-18 resentatives concurring therein, that the Legislature hereby formally rec-19 ognizes the importance of and supports the continuation of existing and fu-20 ture projects within Water District 2.21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature prioritizes the Anderson22 Ranch Dam Raise Project in the Boise River Basin as a critical investment in23 the region's future water security and acknowledges that the partnership24 with the Bureau of Reclamation to raise the dam by six feet will create ap-25 proximately 29,000 acre-feet of new storage capacity, which is a vital step26 for capturing additional water supplies to mitigate drought, ensuring re-27 liable supplies for the Boise River system's irrigators, and supporting the28 municipal needs of the Treasure Valley's rapidly expanding population.29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature supports the ongoing Trea-30 sure Valley Managed Aquifer Recharge initiatives and recognizes that, as31 urbanization reduces natural incidental recharge from flood irrigation, it32 is necessary to develop infrastructure that actively recharges the Treasure33 Valley Aquifer, thereby preventing the resource depletion seen in other34 regions and ensuring a stable, long-term water supply for municipal and in-35 dustrial users.36 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature commends the active con-37 struction of the water treatment plant by the Air Force at the MHAFB and the38 completion of the pipeline and pump station by IWRB, and declares that this39 project, which includes a conveyance system to deliver Snake River surface40 water to the base, is essential for national security and the Idaho economy,41 as it effectively secures the longevity of a military installation that con-42

2 tributes over $1 billion annually to the state economy while protecting lo-1 cal ground water resources for surrounding agricultural and community uses.2 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature acknowledges the vital im-3 provements made through Aging Infrastructure Grants to the Last Chance Canal4 Company in Gem and Payette Counties and recognizes that the rehabilitation5 of this century-old infrastructure ensures the continued delivery of water6 to the renowned agricultural lands of the Payette River basin, preventing7 system failures that would devastate local crop production.8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature acknowledges the recon-9 struction of the headworks of the Ridenbaugh Canal, located on the Boise10 River near Barber Park, as replacing this century-old infrastructure will11 improve the reliability and predictability of water management on the Boise12 River and ensure that local recreational activities, including boating and13 fishing, can continue while also ensuring the continued delivery of water to14 the neighborhoods and agricultural lands stretching from Boise to Caldwell.15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature supports the modernization16 efforts of the Boise City Canal Company and Water District 63 in Ada and17 Canyon Counties, and affirms that, as the interface between urban develop-18 ment and historic irrigation canals becomes more complex, these projects,19 which range from piping open canals to automating headgates, are crucial20 for public safety, water conservation, and the efficient delivery of water21 rights amidst a densifying urban landscape.22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature declares the projects23 herein identified are independently and collectively vital to the strategic24 interests of District 2 as they, among other benefits, secure munici-25 pal growth through new storage and recharge, strengthen national defense26 through the MHAFB resilience project, and modernize the agricultural roots27 of the region through critical canal improvements.28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature recognizes that the main-29 tenance of water security requires a sustained commitment to future invest-30 ment, particularly as District 2 faces the compounding pressures of rapid31 population growth and aging infrastructure, and that proactive funding for32 planning, modernization, and aquifer management is fiscally responsible33 and essential to prevent the significantly higher costs associated with de-34 ferred maintenance and emergency response.35 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature supports the continued ap-36 propriation of funds to IWRB to ensure the completion and long-term viabil-37 ity of these critical projects in Water District 2.38