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Maintenance of Flood-irrigation
Practices on Idaho’s Historic
Floodplains Preserve Critical Habitat
for Waterfowl, Waterbirds, and
Upland Game Birds.
Wetland Landscape of Southern Idaho
• 56% of Idaho wetlands have been
lost (EPA)
• Nearly all historic floodplains have
been converted to agriculture
• Irrigation is typically a major
component in modern site
hydrology
Flood-irrigated Native Wet Meadows on
Private Working Lands
• 70% of wetlands in the Intermountain West
occur on private lands (IWJV)
• 2,300,000 acres of flood irrigated ground in
Oregon and Idaho (USDA)
• 7.2 million gallons / day allocated to livestock
production in Idaho (USDA)
• Tremendous continuing opportunity to deliver
wetland conservation on working lands.
Flood-irrigated Wet Meadows Provide Critical
Spring Staging Habitat for Migrating Waterbirds
• Migrants leave southern
overwintering grounds in
critical need of bioenergetic
resources prior to arriving
on breeding grounds.
• Insufficient resources in
spring staging areas
significantly limit breeding
success.
VS
Benefits of Flood-irrigated Wet Meadows to
Sage Grouse
• Sage grouse utilize wet meadows
for brooding and rearing of
young.
• Wet meadows, particularly when
grazed, can have tremendous
invertebrate assemblages.
• IWJV Sage Grouse Webinar
“…public lands and private
waters…”
• http://iwjv.org/resource/webinar
-public-lands-and-private-waters
Floodplain Function
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Enhanced irrigation distribution and efficiency
Aquifer recharge
Stream temperature amelioration
Maintenance of stream flow over greater duration
KEEPS THE BATHTUB FULL…LONGER
Benefits of Flood-irrigated Wet
Meadows to Fisheries
• Ameliorates stream
temperature through
groundwater
circulation.
• Extends duration of
stream flows
• Refurbishment of
infrastructure allows
for installation of fish
passage and screening.
Western Water-Use Statistics
(Maupin 2014)
• 57% of irrigation withdrawals (nationally) are for flood
irrigation (93% of withdrawals from western states)
– 17% reduction from 2000-2010
– 12% reduction from 2010-2014
• 26,200,000 acres in flood irrigation
• Flood-irrigated acres decreased by 500,000 acres since
2010 (>100k / yr)
• Sprinkler-irrigated acres increased by 1,080,000 acres
• Conversion from flood-irrigation is typically
UNIDIRECTIONAL
17 Western States 2000-2010:
Sprinkler Irrigation increased 13% (>3.1 million acres)
Flood-irrigation decreased 17%(~3.8 million acres)
Source: US Geological Survey
Conversion of Flood-Irrigation to Center
Pivot Threatens Floodplain Functions
Bellevue Triangle, Blaine County, Idaho
2011
1940
Lower Boise River, Canyon County, Idaho
1953
2010
Floodplain Resilience in a Changing
Climate and Landscape
OBJECTIVES
• Maximize irrigation distribution and efficiency
– Infrastructure
– Floodplain prioritization
• Increase floodplain function and RESILIENCY
– Stream restoration
• Incisement /entrenchment
• Improved livestock management (riparian pasture)
• Socioeconomic analysis
• OUTREACH
Private Working Timberlands
comparable to
Private Working Floodplains
Operator Incentives
• Increased management capability, efficiency,
and safety.
• Maximized distribution of irrigation.
• Extended irrigation season.
• Increased pasture production.
• Increased pasture complexity.
• Maintenance of operation viability.
– Socioeconomic stability
Conservation Tools (MONEY!)
• NRCS
– ESPA RCPP EQIP
– Flood-irrigation CSP
– SGI
– WREP, GRP, ACEP/ALE
• IDFG HIP & USFWS PFW
• NAWCA
Chris Colson
Regional Biologist
ccolson@ducks.org
208-608-2441