Treasure Valley Water Quality Summit

Historically, one could say the relationship between municipal water/sewer providers and irrigation entities in the Treasure Valley has been tentative at best.

With ever increasing surface water quality regulations being implemented by the EPA, the need to increase communication across water users and providers in the valley was readily apparent. Dischargers into the Boise River were faced with increasing limits on phosphorous and water temperature for example. And the need to communicate, collaborate and work to develop innovative water quality solutions among irrigation and municipal water related organizations was recognized.

Early in 2012, the Partnership embarked on a project to host a water-quality summit involving all water related organizations in the valley. The goal for having a Summit was to provide a forum to improve dialogue, cooperation and collaboration among water management entities toward addressing surface water quality issues in the Lower Boise River Watershed.

The development of the TV Water Quality Summit was a collaborative effort among a variety of different agencies. They were Idaho Water Engineering, Boise River Water District #63, Riverside Irrigation District, Wilder Irrigation District, City of Boise, City of Nampa, City of Meridian, The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and the Treasure Valley Partnership.

The Summit Agenda included water quality information, concerns and strategies associated with; 1) Municipal Wastewater Treatment, 2) Storm Water, and 3) Irrigation and Drainage Districts. The Summit concluded with a large facilitated discussion how attendees could collaborate and work together in the future.

Success

98 people attended the full-day Treasure Valley Water Quality Summit on November 8, 2012 representing a variety of entities from across the Treasure Valley.