Donald Barksdale — Acknowledged as the district's director in the audience.
Melissa Wintrow — Senator Harris asked questions during the hearing about the walkway and whether anyone had fallen off it, then followed up on the grant details by asking whether the $9 million grant included easements and road costs.
Kevin Cook — Senator Cook thanked the presenter and then asked for project milestones and dates, followed by a related request to describe a crest plate or gate as part of the same discussion.
Kevin Cook — Senator Cook and later Senator Hart ask follow-up questions about the effects of canal lining and related water management changes, including whether the issue involves standing water versus high water table conditions, what impact the lining may have on the aquifer in Twin Falls, and whether lining the canal has affected groundwater users. The witness responds that the land is not within the eastern Snake Plain aquifer and explains the timing and context of when water was turned off.
Kevin Cook — Aaron Dowling thanked Senator Cook for his efforts regarding the lost storage contract.
Kevin Cook — The chair asked Senator Cook if he had a question, and Senator Cook responded by thanking the group and saying the meeting was very good.
Daniel Hoke — Daniel Hoke, the Boise River Water Master with Water District 63, presented the Treasure Valley Water Supply Project as a proactive effort to address declining Boise River return flows and the risk of reduced water deliveries, including to Caldwell. He explained the project’s phased approach: phase one produced mass-balance, trend, and tributary-flow analysis; phase two focuses on monitoring, modeling, and analytics with HDR Engineering; and phase three will use the model to evaluate mitigation options. Hoke emphasized that the project is intended to get ahead of a future water call, will support real-time decision-making through a live dashboard on the website, and has received funding support for the work. He also clarified that District 63 covers the Boise River Basin and that Eastern Oregon is not part of its drainage area.
Jay Barlowji — Jay Barlowji, representing the Twin Falls Canal Company, presented an overview of the company’s canal lining and water-management project. He introduced the Highline Canal system, described the age and condition of existing liners, and explained past and planned lining work on the Highline, Low Line, Main Line, and Lateral 1. He discussed the project’s long timeline and high cost, the seepage and sinkhole problems caused by gravelly soils and voids, and the company’s efforts to monitor return flows more closely. He concluded by noting that improved data could help identify areas where pump-back systems or other future water-management solutions might make sense.
Mark Harris — Asked how much the liner costs per mile.
Ron Taylor — Senator Taylor thanked Mr. Barlow for his work and then used a lighthearted 'cart and horse' analogy to ask whether the legislature had effectively put the horse in front of the cart after receiving funding, with the exchange centered on the project’s funding and sequencing.
Ron Taylor — Commented that the layout is easier to follow and thanked Ms. Condon.
Alan Jackson — Alan Jackson is introduced and then identifies himself as being with the Bingham Groundwater District, providing basic information about the district.
Mr. Jackson — Mr. Jackson discussed the district’s investment in support equipment for a tool used to install monitoring wells and study aquifer-river interactions, then explained ongoing soft conversions from groundwater back to surface water and the need for better surface water management in eastern Idaho. In follow-up questioning, he emphasized that water management is largely about timing and intentional storage use, noting that some canal losses may be seepage or beneficially support vegetation. He concluded by saying the water right remains what it is and that the projects are not exceeding their water rights.
Jim Guthrie — Senator Guthrie engaged in a sustained discussion about canal lining and groundwater recharge, questioning whether lining canals and then paying for artificial recharge is economically efficient. He followed up by asking whether lining a canal that loses water to seepage effectively increases the water right by eliminating those losses, and raised concern that reducing seepage could benefit one user while harming others. The exchange later returned to his earlier questions about aquifer impacts, keeping the focus on how canal lining affects groundwater, recharge, and downstream or neighboring water users.
Joe Palmer — Referenced as having discussed the issue earlier.
Joe Palmer — Thanked for efforts regarding the Teton Dam storage contract.
Mr. Barlow — Referenced as the prior witness in the discussion about canal lining and recharge.
Aaron Dowling — Aaron Dowling was introduced as the next witness and then identified himself as the manager of the Fremont-Madison Irrigation District, beginning his testimony about the district's water delivery and reservoir contracts.
Heather Scott — The chair turned the meeting over to Senator Hart for the rules portion.
Mary Condon — Mary Condon was introduced as the presenter for the first rule docket. She then identified herself as the Project Management Services Supervisor for the Idaho Department of Water Resources and former Water Supply Bank coordinator, and explained that docket 37-0204-2101 is the zero-based rulemaking for the revised Shoshone-Bannock water bank rules.
Christy Zito — The chair is addressed by the witness at the start of testimony.
Ms. Condon — Ms. Condon concluded her presentation and responded to follow-up questions from the committee, including clarification that 'tribal' and 'reservation' are not interchangeable terms: 'tribal' refers to tribes' stored water, while 'reservation' refers to reservation water. The exchange ended with appreciation for her presentation and the layout of the material.
Haley — Invited to come to the podium and identify herself to speak for the tribe.
Haley Johnson Wasco — Identified herself as a contract lobbyist in Idaho speaking on behalf of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and said the tribes support the rule.
Julie VanOrden — Seconded the motion.
Aaron Gallart — Identified as the next presenter for docket 37-3307-2501.
Aaron Gollart — Aaron Gollart, Stream Channel Protection Section Manager for the Idaho Department of Water Resources, introduced himself and then presented fee rule docket 37-0307-2501, explaining that the testimony concerns the department’s zero-based rulemaking and revised stream channel alteration rules.
James Woodward — Senator Taylor seconded the motion.
Lori Gray — Lori Gray is introduced as the first presenter and then identifies herself as the secretary treasurer for the Nampa Meridian Irrigation District as she begins her presentation.
Ms. Gray — The chair invited Ms. Gray to identify herself.
Ms. Gray — Ms. Gray responded that she did not have a count, but mentioned folklore about chainsaws lost in the river.
President Patterson — Acknowledged in the audience.
Clinton Pline — Acknowledged as vice president in the audience.
Mr. Arrington — The chair called on Mr. Arrington to come forward and identify himself.
Paul Arrington — Identified himself as executive director of the Idaho Water Users Association and described the association's membership.