Idaho Stewardship

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Idaho Stewardship

• Hydrography

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Idaho

• 83,557 square miles with about 1.5 million
  people.
• 14th largest state in the US, but 44th in
  population density.
• Annual rainfall from less than 10 inches per year
  to over 60 inches per year
• 65 federal or tribal, 5 state, 30 private
• 7.8 million acres of land used for agriculture
  180,000 miles of streams and/or canals

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Water Issues

• Most of the agriculture in the southern part of
  the state is irrigated though canals and
  diversions
• Western water law states first in time first
  in right
• Competing water uses
• Interstate coordination is needed for Columbia
  River Basin and Bear Basin

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• MOU with USGS signed in August, 2007
• USGS POC is Hank Nelson, Liaison is Scott Van
  Hoff
• IDWR is chair of the Hydrography and Watershed
  State Technical Working Groups
• Web site at www.idwr.idaho.gov/hydrography
• Linda Davis Principal Steward for Idaho
• Wilma Robertson - Technical POC Idaho

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How NHD Can be Applied

• Water accounting modeling with diversions
• Linear referencing for fish, habitat, water
  quality, minimum stream flow, wild and scenic
• Dam Safety modeling water quantity upstream and
  hazards downstream
• Hazard Modeling - flooding

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Issues

• What is challenging
• Communication with GNIS/USGS after names have
  been submitted using online web app.
• Notification to Steward by GNIS when name has
  been accepted or denied would be helpful.
• Stream name protocol for Federal Agencies needs
  clarification (Forest Service, BLM)
• NHD tools require time and effort
• Continue to work on improving tools, USGS weekly
  phone calls and USGS support.
• Working on tools for local stewards to submit
  updates

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Issues

• What is working
• Support from IDWR management, Idaho hydrography
  community and USGS
• Collecting data from local agencies and
  submitting that information to the National
  Database
• Soliciting changes from local agencies where we
  know changes are needed
• Quarterly meetings though a hydrography working
  group

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Idaho State Contacts

• Linda Davis
• Linda.Davis_at_idwr.idaho.gov
• Wilma Robertson Technical POC NHD
• Wilma.Robertson_at_idwr.idaho.gov
• Genna Ashley-Poulson Technical POC WBD
• Genna.Ashley_at_idwr.idaho.gov