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IID using too much water, again

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on July 23, 2008 at 7:41 am

From the Imperial Valley Press:

There is no question whether the Imperial Irrigation District will exceed its water allotment for the year, officials said. But by how much and at what cost has yet to be seen.

IID Water Manager Mike King said the district is projected to be 108,000 acre-feet more than what is allowed from its rights on the Colorado River.

By this time last year the board had already declared a supply-demand imbalance that would have set into motion a system of water rationing had it not been revoked. “July is our highest month of water use. We’re hoping to see that (projected overrun) drop,” King said. King said if the current conditions persist, the district will exceed its allotment by an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 acre-feet by year’s end.

Last year the board declared a supply-demand imbalance in early June. Living within the limitations of the Colorado River allotment and the pairing of high prices for wheat in the commodities market has pushed the district over the line, King said. As the year ended, unexpected rainfall led the district to being less than 10,000 acre-feet over its share.

Director James Hanks said that with the district already exceeding the conditions that caused them to declare a supply-demand imbalance last year, it’s time to act now. “We need to look at declaring another shortage,” Hanks said. “The next go-round won’t be a pilot (program). It’ll be the real McCoy.”