For the first time since 2000, Ada County residents will have the opportunity to provide public testimony on proposed National Forest Roadless for Idaho.  Many of us in Ada County have strong opinions on this proposed rule and this is your chance to be heard!  The hearing will be held on Thursday evening February 28 at Boise City, 3rd floor hearing room.  I will be moderating the hearing and members of the Forest Service and the Governor’s office will be there to provide an opening presentation on the development of the proposed rule.  Although you have until April 7, 2008 to submit testimony, this will be an excellent opporunity to present your thoughts.  Thanks for your interest in this critically important issue for Idaho.

Ada County has joined in to oppose the challenge to the Boise River winter in-stream flow right for water stored in Lucky Peak reservoir.  A group of irrigators has challenged this water right as part of the Snake River Basin adjudication.  If the irrigators prevail in eliminating this water right, there would be no flow in the Boise River in the winter months.

Ada County has intervened to help protect the interest of the community from having to pay to have water run down the river in the wintertime.  With more and more irrigation water going to urban subdivisions and less to irrigated agriculture, I believe that is more about selling irrigation water for urban use than it is about irrigation water for producers. 

The issue should be decided this spring so stayed tuned.