The Courier
NEWS
Senior Center Receives Community Grant
Northwest Farm Credit Services has awarded the Camas Senior and Community Center with a $3,000 Rural Community Grant. “As a recipient of Northwest Farm Credit’s generous donation, our Camas County Senior and Community Center will use the money to help purchase new laminate flooring for the center,” said Meg Kevan, Site Manager. “Our present carpet has become a safety threat to our center participants and new flooring is the only solution. Safety to our community is a priority and we sincerely appreciate and thank you for this grant money.” Northwest FCS is committed to helping rural communities succeed. Since the program’s inception in 2007, it has awarded 1,626 grants totaling more than $3.2 million. The Rural Community Grant Program provides funds to non-profit organizations for projects that improve a community's infrastructure, viability and/or prosperity. If you think your project may be eligible, visit northwestfcs.com/ruralgrants for more details and the online application. Northwest FCS is a $15 billion financial cooperative providing financing and related services to farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, commercial fishing operations, timber producers, rural homeowners and crop insurance customers in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Alaska. Northwest FCS is a member of the nationwide Farm Credit System that supports agriculture and rural communities with reliable, consistent credit and financial services. For more information, go to northwestfcs.com Pictured Left to Right: Northwest FCS Relationship Manager Jake Hollifield; Site Manager Meg Kevan; Board Member Jill Frostenson.
Governor Seeks Input from Idahoans on Meth, Fentanyl
Governor Brad Little is asking Idahoans to weigh in about the impacts of meth and fentanyl at the final regional roundtable for his "Operation Esto Perpetua" initiative. Operation Esto Perpetua is the Governor's new strategy to protect communities from the growing drug threat. Additional information, including membership of the initiative's Citizen Action Group and Law Enforcement Panel, is available at https://gov.idaho.gov/ operation-esto-perpetua/. The Citizens Action Group has held public meetings in Coeur d'Alene and Weiser in recent weeks, and the group's final roundtable will be held today, May 11th, at the College of Southern Idaho, Taylor Building Room 276/277 (315 Falls Ave. - Twin Falls) from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. (public testimony starts at 10:30 a.m.) Governor Little will attend The public also may offer comments to the Citizens Action Group via e-mail to governor@ gov.idaho.gov before May 13. The Citizens Action Group will compile and present its observations to the Law Enforcement Panel in the coming weeks.
News from the Heart of Idaho Camas • Lincoln • Gooding
May 11, 2022
Vol 46 Num 19
NRCS Water Supply Outlook Report
The Natural Resources Conservation Service in Idaho has released the May Water Supply Outlook Report for the 2022 Water Year (WY). Cold and wet conditions in April slightly improved water supply conditions in Idaho. Despite near to above normal precipitation in April, peak snowpack is below normal in all basins, including in northern Idaho. Idaho is still expected to experience water supply shortages across the state this irrigation season. “In general, irrigation delivery began in April; combined with reduced snowmelt runoff, reservoir fill rates have slowed down,” said Erin Whorton, Hydrologist-Water Supply Specialist for NRCS Snow Survey. Water users should continue to prepare for a short irrigation season and possible curtailments. Reservoir storage continues to be below normal for Idaho. Streamflow, snowpack, and precipitation data for each basin can be accessed on the NRCS Idaho Snow Survey web page. For information on specific basins, streams, and reservoirs, please view the full report online at May Water Supply Outlook Report.
~ Drought Declaration ~
On April 28th, the Idaho Department of Water Resources issued a drought declaration for all 34 counties south of the Salmon River. Normally, such declarations are made county-by-county based on petitions from county commissioners. However, because of multiple requests submitted in April, the Governor's office asked the director of the Idaho Department of Water Resources, Gary Spackman, to consider a widespread order for Southern Idaho. The U.S. Drought Monitor map published on April 21 showed all Idaho counties south of the Salmon River as being in the moderate to severe drought category. The Drought declaration will allow water users in these areas to file “extraordinary” water right-related applications granting them more flexibility to move water around. Farmers still have to apply for temporary water rights changes - the department wants to make sure they don’t hurt other users and don’t result in an increase in water use. Most adjustments (which expire at the end of the calendar year) relate to where the water is diverted from (out of a stream or aquifer) or the specific piece of land where the water is used.