New Purpose for Old Practices
Teton Valley, Idaho
Declines in the underground aquifer and water supply are having a big impact on local livelihoods, fish, and wildlife. In response, an unlikely and effective partnership of local irrigators, agencies, scientists and conservation groups are finding solutions to change the way we work together and how water is managed to sustain the future of agriculture in Teton Valley.
Our goal is to convert cheap and abundant early-season water into valuable summer water. Here’s how it works.
Incidental recharge occurs when water sinks into the aquifer as a result of human activities incidental to irrigation, such as when water sinks into the ground when farmers flood irrigate fields or when water is conveyed through unlined irrigation canals. It is a technique that can be used to improve, or recharge, the local aquifer. Once in the aquifer, this water travels slower than water on the surface. Slowing the water in this way delays its delivery into local streams by 1-3 months, depending on location.
The shallow aquifer serves as an underground reservoir that stores the abundant, cheap early-season water from snow runoff. Later in the season, the recharged aquifer can deliver more water during months when water is scarce and valuable. This can help meet irrigation and municipal water demand, support wetlands and streams, and boost the water table.
An idea to re-implement flood irrigation practices was brought forward by the irrigating community in Teton Valley, using incidental recharge techniques as a way to improve and recharge the local aquifer. Now, water users in Teton Valley are shifting their early-season watering practices to flood irrigation to store abundant snowmelt water in the aquifer for use later in the season. Then they’re switching to conservation irrigation practices like sprinklers to conserve water in the drier late summer months.
The program is designed to boost late season flows, make more water available for irrigators longer in the season, and contribute more water into the ecosystem.
The Teton Valley Water Users Association is a diverse group led by agricultural producers, conservation groups, municipal and county leaders, and experts in hydrology and economics of the rural west working together to develop a more stable water supply for all users in Teton Valley.
Teton Valley is an agricultural community characterized by iconic open spaces and mountain views. The Teton River basin is a dynamic system fed by snowmelt from the Teton and Big Hole Mountains that surround the Valley. Teton Valley is part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and is home to lush wetland habitat and a number of ecologically-significant fish. The Teton River runs through the heart of the Valley and drives the local economy by sustaining agriculture and supporting vibrant tourism and recreation industries.
This remarkable work is thanks to partnerships some would consider unthinkable. Agricultural producers and conservationists working closely on a collaborative solution that brings benefits to landowners, conservationists, as well as the community and watershed at large. Special gratitude to all who make this work possible.
Watch this short film to hear from some of the program’s participants and organizers.
Lifeblood: From Farms to Fish
Partners
Trail Creek Sprinkler Irrigation Company, Garden Water Company, Fox Creek Canal Company, Cherry Grove Canal Company, Individual water rights holders, Teton Soil Conservation District, Friends of Teton River, Henry’s Fork Foundation, LegacyWorks Group, Teton Regional Land Trust, Teton County Farm Bureau, NRCS, City of Driggs and Teton County, Idaho.
Funders
NRCS (through RCPP), Bureau of Reclamation (WaterSMART programs), Idaho Department of Water Resources, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Patagonia, and 1% for the Tetons
