ABERDEEN, Idaho—Aberdeen-Springfield Canal Co. General Manager Steve Howser said a water outlook that took a dramatic turn for the worse this summer has compelled him to shut off his system about three weeks earlier than he originally anticipated.
Howser, who closed his headgates on Sept. 12, said his board members and shareholders opted during a recent meeting to prolong deliveries for as long as possible, rather than holding back some water until October to wet fields to more easily harvest sugar beets.
The canal, which serves 63,000 irrigated acres in southeast Idaho, has been especially hard hit by a summer drought, which is forcing water managers throughout the region to make tough choices. Though the water supply seemed sufficient in April, following a near-average winter, Howser said demand for canal water was greater this season than it’s been in nearly three decades.
“In 18 years I’ve never been more than three days off when I make my prediction on how long my storage will last at the beginning of the season. This year, I was more than three weeks off,” Howser said.
Howser explained “charging the system” to deliver water during beet harvest wastes about a five-day supply of water. He and his growers are banking on filling the system during general beet harvest with natural flows, as other companies shut off for the season and Snake River levels rise. Otherwise, beet tips break off when growers dig them from dry ground, causing a 25 to 30 percent yield reduction.
Source: www.capitalpress.com