Codi Galloway — Listed as present in the roll call continuation.
Melissa Wintrow — Listed as present in the roll call continuation.
Ms. Jessa — Ms. Jessa is asked to introduce herself for the record, and then to proceed.
Director Weaver — Identified as the head of the Department of Water Resources and present with staff.
Director Weaver — The senator directs the question to Weaver.
Director Weaver — The senator directs the question to Weaver.
Mr. Jeff Raibolt — Identified as Chairman of the Water Resources Board and present for questions.
Mr. Weaver — The analyst asks Mr. Weaver to come forward and state his name for the record.
Matthew Weaver — Matthew Weaver, director of the Idaho Department of Water Resources, introduces himself and accompanying staff, offers brief opening comments, explains that the committee materials and balance sheets were carefully prepared to show fund balances and commitments, and then closes his remarks by thanking the committee for its time and consideration of the department’s budget and for its support over the past three years.
Ms. Jessup — Weaver credits Ms. Jessup with acknowledging the handouts.
Carrie Semmelroth — Senator Winthrop asked how budget holdbacks and ongoing reductions are affecting the department's ability to operate, and the director responded directly to that question.
Edward Hill — Representative Harris questioned whether delays on easements and cooperation vary by administration or are due to current bureaucratic processes, then continued by thanking the chair and Director Weaver and asking about nitrate and phosphate contamination in the Snake River Plain aquifer and what is being done to address it.
Edward Hill — Representative Harris was recognized to ask a question and then asked for specific data on the CREP program, including acres enrolled, contract details, cost per acre, and water savings.
Edward Hill — Representative Harris questions the director about the CREP program, first asking about its return on investment, acres under contract, and water savings, then following up on contract acreage, average cost per acre, and what land qualifies for the program.
Charlie Shepherd — Asked for an update on the $30 million investment, project status, obligations, and plans for the next $30 million.
Charlie Shepherd — Addressed by the director in response to the funding update question.
Charlie Shepherd — Continues the follow-up questions about fiscal year 26 spending and fiscal year 27 plans.
Jeff Raybould — Identified himself as chairman of the Idaho Water Resource Board and began explaining how the $30 million was allocated.
Chris Mathias — Representative Miller is discussed and then speaks to follow up on the question of water recharge funding, asking whether allocating about $30 million per year for 10 years would be enough to satisfy most statewide recharge needs. The surrounding discussion remains focused on funding levels and water project needs, with no significant topic shift.
Britt Raybould — Chairman Raybould is addressed as the discussion transitions into a question about conversion projects from groundwater to surface water, continuing the same exchange without a topic break.
Paisley Miller — Paisley Miller was introduced as a new House page from Eagle, with a brief follow-up noting her interests and excitement about serving on JFAC.
Mike Moyle — Identified as Paisley Miller's sponsor.
Drew Wachshow — Introduced as a new page from Eagle; he said he is excited to participate in JFAC and described his athletic background.
Matt Weaver — Matt Weaver introduces himself as the acting administrator of the Soil and Water Conservation Commission, and continues that introduction while noting his role and the commissioners accompanying him.
Matt Weaver — Responds that he is somewhat familiar with CREP and will follow up with materials.
James Petzke — Called during the roll call; transcription rendered as Petsky.
James Petzke — Representative Petzke is addressed during a continuing discussion about the $30 million allocation, including the status of that funding and possible uses for the next $30 million.
Dustin Manwaring — Called during the roll call.
Dustin Manwaring — Representative Manwaring asked what level of legislative investment would be needed over the next 10 to 15 years to help the state reach the ESPA managed recharge goal of 350. The director responded to the question and the discussion continued into project cost estimates, with a later follow-up explicitly tied back to Manwaring's earlier question.
Brandon Mitchell — Called during the roll call.
Chris Bruce — Chris Bruce is called during the roll call as Vice Chair Bruce and then listed as present in the continuation of the roll call.
Chris Bruce — Asked about the impact of large data centers on water resources and whether the department has input on them.
Heather Scott — Called during the roll call; transcription rendered as Harris, likely intended to be a different member but uncertain.
Brooke Green — Called during the roll call.
James Woodward — Listed as present in the roll call continuation.
Kevin Cook — Listed as present in the roll call continuation.
Kevin Cook — Asks what efforts are being made to stabilize the Snake River Basin Aquifer and what the economic impact would be if stabilization fails.
Kevin Cook — Senator Cook opens by thanking the chairman for his hard work, then continues the exchange by asking about the role of private business investment in water districts and local water projects.
Kevin Cook — Mentioned in a joking correction as the speaker addresses Co-Chair Groh.
Carl Bjerke — Listed as present; transcription rendered as Bjurkey.
Cindy Carlson — Listed as present in the roll call continuation.
Glenneda Zuiderveld — Listed as present; transcription rendered as Ciderveld.
Glenneda Zuiderveld — Senator Zidefeld asked Director Weaver for examples of obstacles delaying the start or completion of appropriated projects, expressing concern that funds were sitting unused and that inflation could affect project completion. The director then responded to the senator’s question about those project delays.
Glenneda Zuiderveld — Senator Ziderfeld questioned Chairman Raybould about proposed 2027 funding for a Bear River Basin research project, asking what Idaho would learn from the project and how it would benefit the state’s water-supply planning.
Steve Miller — Called during the roll call.
Steve Miller — Representative Miller asked about progress toward the groundwater-user targets of 215 and 350, then followed up on the update regarding groundwater-user targets and averages. He also asked how much recharge capacity exists in a good water year, and the response estimated the available recharge capacity.
Steve Miller — Representative Miller is called on and asks about the cost per acre-foot of the program and how it compares with other efforts.
Rod Furniss — Called during the roll call; transcription rendered as Furness.
Steven Tanner — Called as Chairman Tanner during the roll call.
Steven Tanner — Corrected the speaker attribution jokingly, noting the two plaques in front of him.