As I began writing this, I was visiting family in Utah and it snowed.
At the end of May!
When I came home, the pressure on our irrigation sprinklers were fizzling. We are already low on water.
At the end of May!
It seems every year we talk about water – and whine about water. There’s never enough for some, and then all at once there’s too much for others. It’s one of the many things we humans can’t seem to agree on.
Depending on where you’re located in this great state, conditions vary, but overall the outlook is pretty bleak. And yes, it seems even more bleak than usual.
Here’s some of what I’ve been hearing:
- It appears that southern Idaho is heading into a difficult irrigation season, with the Upper Snake projected at just 70% runoff – the eighth-lowest supply in 45 years.
- In April, Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) Director Mathew Weaver found that senior Snake River surface water users may face a shortfall of 181,600 acre-feet of water during the 2026 irrigation season. The projected shortages are expected to impact major irrigation entities including American Falls Reservoir District No. 2 and Twin Falls Canal Company. IDWR will revisit conditions again in July, meaning additional curtailment decisions could still be ahead depending on runoff and crop demand.
- Reservoir conditions vary sharply across the state. Notably, Boise and Payette systems are full, while Palisades and American Falls remain well below normal.
- Snowpack melted nearly three weeks earlier than normal due to a warm winter and above-normal spring temperatures.
- Warm, dry and windy weather in May worsened drought concerns, particularly in the Magic Valley and Upper Snake regions.
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasters expect hotter and drier-than-normal conditions through summer, increasing stress on irrigation supplies and rangelands.
- The Owyhee Basin faces especially severe shortages, with runoff forecast at only 14% of normal.
- Irrigators in the Upper Snake are drawing on stored water earlier than usual, and reservoirs could approach empty by season’s end.
I’m sure I’ve missed some important points and some big issues happening in your area. If so, please email me. As always, we want to make sure we cover the stories and concerns impacting Idaho agriculture from every corner of the state. We may not be able to control when – or if – it rains, but we can do our part by praying for moisture, extending grace to one another and working together through another tough water year.
