Conflict and Context
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Conflict and Context: An analysis of water conflict and collaboration in Idaho between 1950 and 2019 By J. Colt Dickman Presented December 2nd, 2020 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I must thank my beautiful and amazing wife for unconditionally supporting this venture. She kept her business, our family, and household expertly running while I worked long hours at work and stayed up late most nights working through this degree. This would not have been possible without your love and support Chelsi; I am forever in your loving debt for allowing me this opportunity. Thank you so much to my patient academic advisor, Dr. Todd Jarvis. For over four long years he patiently entertained my progress that was at times, slowed by professional or personal hurdles. He always gave me just enough guidance to keep me on track but largely left the guardrails off so I could learn from my circuitous academic journey. The professional mentorship was critical to completing this work and I will always strive to maintain the professional standard you helped me establish, as I venture into Idaho’s water arena. Todd, thank you again. Thank you to my capstone committee members, for their time and consideration throughout the process. Multiple critiques, suggestions, and revisions made this work more meaningful and I am grateful for the professional courtesy shown to me by the members. Without financial support I would not have been able to complete this degree. The Oregon State University’s Ecampus Military Grant provided the support which allowed me to focus my efforts on this goal and finish the program. Thank you for all the work they do supporting veterans at OSU! Lastly, I would like to acknowledge those people in my life that planted the inquisitive seed or helped it bloom into values that moved me to complete this work. My mother always taught me the importance of respectfully questioning every premise. Dr. Paul Wanke taught me that without a deep understanding of our history, we will likely never move past our mistakes. Dr. Robert Lackey and Dr. David Perry solidified my understanding of my responsibility as a scientist within society. Malcolm Gladwell lit a fire in my soul and taught me about underdogs, misfits, and the art of battling giants. I am humbled and sincerely appreciative for the relationships that have manifested in this work and a future career helping to develop equitable and sustainable solutions for wicked water problems in Idaho and beyond. 2 Table of Contents Acronyms ...................................................................................................................................................... 1 List of Figures and Tables .............................................................................................................................. 2 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 3 Hypothesis................................................................................................................................................. 4 Justification of Research ........................................................................................................................... 5 HISTORY OF WATER IN IDAHO ...................................................................................................................... 6 Hydrogeologic History ............................................................................................................................... 6 Social History ............................................................................................................................................. 9 Conflict History: ...................................................................................................................................... 13 COMPARISON WITH OTHER RIVER BASINS ................................................................................................. 19 Klamath River Basin Comparison ............................................................................................................ 20 Deschutes River Basin ............................................................................................................................. 22 River Basin Comparison Analysis: ........................................................................................................... 23 METHODS .................................................................................................................................................... 26 Constructing a Research Data Base ........................................................................................................ 27 Data Sources ........................................................................................................................................... 27 Event Search Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 28 Event Definition ...................................................................................................................................... 29 Event Classification: ................................................................................................................................ 29 Data Categories ....................................................................................................................................... 30 Spatial and Temporal Scope ................................................................................................................... 31 Conflict-Collaboration Scale .................................................................................................................... 32 Assumptions and Known Biases.............................................................................................................. 35 DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................................................. 37 Initial Data Observations ......................................................................................................................... 37 Data Segregation ..................................................................................................................................... 41 Data Analysis Comparison ...................................................................................................................... 44 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................................... 49 Conflict and Collaboration Comparison by Month ................................................................................. 56 Future Conflict Projections and Solutions .............................................................................................. 57 Unaccounted Water Use ..................................................................................................................... 58 Idaho’s Changing Economy ................................................................................................................. 60 Climate Change and Ecological Conflicts ............................................................................................ 62 Current Shortfall and Existing Solutions ............................................................................................. 65 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................... 68 Hypothesis Test ....................................................................................................................................... 68 Scenario Based Considerations ............................................................................................................... 71 Proposed Solutions ................................................................................................................................. 73 Final Observations: ................................................................................................................................. 76 Works Cited ................................................................................................................................................. 79 2 Acronyms AF: Acre Foot BOR: Bureau of Reclamation CRB: Clearwater River Basin CW: Conjunctive Water Event DRB: Deschutes River Basin ESPA: Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer GIS: Geographical Information System GW: Groundwater Event IDWR: Idaho Department of Water Resources IGWA: Idaho Groundwater Appropriators IMAR: Incentivized Managed Aquifer Recharge IWRB: Idaho Water Resource Board KRB: Klamath River Basin MAR: Managed Aquifer Recharge PNW: Pacific Northwest SRB: Snake River Basin SRBA: Snake River Basin Adjudication SRP: Snake River Plain SW: Surface water event SWC: Surface Water Coalition 1 List of Figures and Tables TABLE 1 IDAHO'S GDP FROM 1976 THROUGH 1979 AS REPORTED BY THE U.S. BUREAU OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS ............................. 15 TABLE 2 COMPARISON OF EVENT TYPES BETWEEN KRISTEL FESLER'S RESEARCH AND THIS RESEARCH. EVENT TYPE IS AN ANALYSIS OF THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE WATER EVENT IN THE DATABASE. ..................................................................................................... 24 TABLE 3 (LEFT) IDAHO'S 4 WATER REGIONS AND 98 ADMINISTRATIVE RIVER BASINS