Upper Salmon — Water District 170

Water District No. 170 (WD170), also referred to as the "Upper Salmon Water District", was created by IDWR order in 2006. The district was created to administer both surface water and groundwater rights tributary to the Salmon River above the confluence with the Pashimeroi River. However, IDWR plans to expand it to include five administrative basins to administer all water rights tributary to the Salmon River above the confluence with the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.

The water district will be subdivided into a number of smaller, largely independent sub-districts that will operate within Water District No. 170. The WD170 Watermaster will coordinate with the sub-districts to administer the water rights, perform reporting, and other district functions. Basins 71 and 72 are presently within Water District No. 170 and four sub-districts are currently active.

A large water district is necessary in the Upper Salmon area to effectively administer water rights that have been licensed by IDWR or have been partially decreed by the Snake River Basin Adjudication Court. A multi-basin district is necessary to ensure administration of complex, large-scale water rights and associated agreements (e.g. Nez Perce, Wild and Scenic Rivers). Although IDWR typically creates water districts following an adjudication, the timing and structure of the Upper Salmon Water District follows largely from an agreement regarding settlement of objections to federal reserved water rights related to the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act. View documents related to the Wild & Scenic Rivers.

Nick Miller — Watermaster
IDWR State Office
322 East Front Street
PO Box 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720-0098
Phone: (208) 287-4800
Fax: (208) 287-6700

• Nick.Miller@idwr.idaho.gov

Orders & Documents

• Idaho Supreme Court's Decision Affirming District Court's Decision Upholding Creation of Water District No. 170 - October 27, 2009
• Notice of Appeal by Thompson Creek Mining Co. for the Creation of Water District 170 - April 1, 2008
• Seventh Judicial District Court's Decision Affirming IDWR's Amended Final Order Creating WD170, Thompson Creek Mining Co. vs. IDWR - February 22, 2008
• Order Requiring Measuring Devices & Head Gates in Water District 170 - February 20, 2007
• Amended Final Order Creating Upper Salmon River Water District in Administrative Basins 71 & 72 Water District 170 - April 06, 2006

Annual Meeting Minutes, Agendas & Resolutions

• 2011 Annual Meeting - January 25, 2011
• 2010 Annual Meeting - January 26, 2010
• 2009 Annual Meeting - January 27, 2009

Maps

• Distribution of Basin 71 Water Diversions
• Distribution of Basin 72 Water Diversions
• Distribution of Basin 73 Water Diversions
• Distribution of Basin 74 Water Diversions
• Distribution of Basin 75 Water Diversions

Presentations

• Water District 170 Activities & Schedule 2006-2009

• Informational Discussion - Background Information

• Informational Discussion - District Creation

Advisory Committee

• Advisory Committee Members
• Meeting Minutes - January 26, 2010
• Meeting Minutes - January 27, 2009
• Meeting Minutes - January 22, 2008
• Meeting Minutes - March 13, 2007
• Meeting Minutes - December 14, 2006

Online Flow & Diversion Data

• 13307000 Salmon River near Shoup, Idaho - Average Daily Flow
• IDWR Databse Application - Current and Historical Diversion Data