Idaho Water Management Challenges Take Center Stage at IWUA’s 89th Annual Convention
The 89th Annual Convention of the Idaho Water Users Association (IWUA) brought more than 200 water leaders to Boise January 21–22, 2026. There were two days of policy updates, technical briefings, and forward-looking discussions about the most pressing Idaho water management challenges.
This year, Schroeder Law Offices’ founder, Laura Schroeder, was elected to the IWUA Education Committee, representing the Associate Membership. One of the committee’s key responsibilities is providing support for Headgate, Idaho’s respected water leadership academy. The program equips future leaders of water delivery organizations with the practical tools, relationship?building strategies, and leadership skills needed to navigate an increasingly complex water landscape.
Key Updates in Idaho Water Policy and Supply
Conference attendees heard updates from:
- Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR)
- Idaho Water Resource Board (IWRB)
- U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)
- Federal water policy leaders, including representatives from the Family Farm Alliance (FFA) and the National Water Resources Association (NWRA)
Despite an unusual weather pattern this year, the water supply outlook for southeastern and central Idaho reservoirs remains positive. According to reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the BOR, rainfall—rather than snowpack—is supporting reservoir levels, though the situation could shift depending on February and March storms. Southwestern Idaho’s outlook is less optimistic, though some basins benefit from 2024–2025 carryover storage.
The Shift from Groundwater to Recharge: A Full-Circle Policy Moment
Laura attended breakout sessions exploring:
- The role of basin studies in future water management
- Recharge coupled with irrigation efficiency
- Groundwater challenges in the Upper Snake region
One compelling theme emerged: Idaho, much like Oregon, Washington, and Nevada, is reevaluating decades of policy that encouraged a shift from surface water to groundwater use.
Modern, highly efficient irrigation methods—such as pivot and drip systems—reduce incidental recharge to aquifers. As a result, current policy now promotes:
- Aquifer recharge through “leaky” canals
- Managed recharge ponds fed by surface water
- Limitations on groundwater pumping
One water user observed that today’s groundwater levels are approaching natural, pre?irrigation conditions—levels that rose dramatically during earlier eras of flood irrigation and began to fall again as irrigation technology improved. The policy goal now is not a return to natural historical levels, but rather to the artificially elevated aquifer levels that existed during the height of flood?irrigation practices.
This shift is both fascinating and instructive for practitioners and stakeholders navigating Idaho water management challenges and the broader Western water landscape.
Looking Ahead: Laura to Speak at Oregon Women for Agriculture Conference
Laura’s next stop will be the Annual Statewide Conference for Oregon Women for Agriculture on March 6 in Forest Grove. She will speak on current issues in Western water law and ongoing trends affecting water users across multiple states. Conference information is available at: https://www.owaonline.org
