When you think of Idaho, agriculture is the first thing that comes to mind. It is the backbone of our state’s economy and identity. From barley and wheat to beef and milk, southern Idaho’s farmers and ranchers are the reason so many of us have quality food on our tables.

Every farmer needs one important ingredient, no matter where they are located: water. Unfortunately, some have forgotten that eastern Idaho isn’t the only place that gets this important resource from the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer – all farmers in southern Idaho rely on the same water.

Due to actions by some groundwater districts in eastern Idaho, nearly 200,000 acres of productive farmland in Twin Falls County now suffer from a critical water shortage.

As elected officials of Twin Falls County, it is our job as county commissioners to protect the interests of our constituents. And in our county, most of our citizens are involved in agriculture. It is truly the lifeblood of our region. But southern Idaho is also a desert, and thanks to our efficient irrigation systems, our farmers can take advantage of the dry climate to grow the best crops.

That is why the discord in Eastern Idaho over Idaho’s water rights laws and recovery plans is so disheartening; these subordinate water rights holders are not fighting back against the overreach of the Governor or the Idaho Department of Water Resources, and they are not taking water away from corporations or politicians as they claim. They are advocating to take water that is legally theirs from our primary water rights users in Twin Falls County, while simultaneously extracting water from the rapidly declining water levels of the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer.

No one wants to see a single piece of Idaho farmland dry up. But the fact is that Eastern Idaho’s junior water users are refusing to comply with court-approved remediation plans and orders designed to recharge and restore our aquifer. The ESPA provides drinking water to 300,000 people and irrigates over 2 million acres of farmland. Junior water rights holders have no “priority” under our state constitution, either to a river or to an aquifer. Yet this is the outcome some users are promoting to turn the doctrine of prior appropriation on its head.

Our farmers in southern Idaho, including those with legacy water rights, need water too. And right now they are experiencing a very real shortage that is putting their family farms at risk.

It’s time we stop making the governor and IDWR the bogeyman. Under the Idaho Constitution, water is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so those who hold prior water rights are known as “seniors” and are the first to receive access to their share of this limited resource. The governor and IDWR must follow the law, which states that if a deficiency is calculated that would harm a user with senior water rights, junior users must provide remediation to compensate. The 2016 remediation plan was adopted by all groundwater users and effectively provides a safe harbor for groundwater users who comply with their remediation plans. It was approved by the IDWR and upheld by the district court.

It’s disappointing that so many are unfairly angry with our state leaders for doing their job: following and upholding Idaho’s laws. It’s also disappointing that certain groundwater districts would rather sue than find solutions for their members.

The other major problem is the lack of consideration for the health of our aquifer. ESPA levels are at near record lows not seen since 1916. We have all witnessed the severe drought in our region over the past few years; we have less rainfall and less spring water to the Snake River due to the lack of snowmelt, which directly harms ESPA. The aquifer has lost over 1 million acre-feet of water from 2022-2023 alone.

If we want future generations to have access to clean drinking water and enough water to continue to supply all of the farms in eastern and southern Idaho, we must support our Governor, the IDWR, and our key water rights users in advocating for ESPA replenishment and upholding the laws of the land.

Farmers in eastern Idaho are not the only ones who need water – our farmers in southern Idaho are entitled to the water they are entitled to under their water rights. We believe that younger water users should come to the table with water rights holders to find a sensible and efficient way forward that benefits all current and future farmers.

We must protect the Eastern Snake River Plan Aquifer and support all farmers in Idaho’s agricultural industry.

Don Hall, Jack Johnson and Brent Reinke are commissioners for Twin Falls County. Hall is the chairman.