Blue Gulch Critical Ground Water Area

The Blue Gulch Critical Ground Water Area (CGWA), located in eastern Owyhee and western Twin Falls counties, was declared on December 9, 1970. This declaration was based on a report by Chapman and Ralston (1970) which stated that discharge was exceeding recharge.

At the time, the area was being considered for increased agricultural development through the federal Desert Land Entry program. This would have increased ground water diversions for irrigation. Outstanding water appropriation permits at the time were anticipated to divert over four times the usage. Designation as a CGWA stopped the processing of new applications while allowing the development of existing permits. A management plan has not been developed nor has an advisory committee been formed.

Ground water levels in wells are measured periodically in the area. Current hydrographs of the wells can be viewed using the Online Ground Water Level Database or figures showing annually-updated hydrographs for selected wells can be viewed here.