Idaho
How does this year’s surface water supply look for eastern Idaho? – East Idaho News
POCATELLO – Eastern Idaho’s snowpack and reservoir storage has improved over the winter, but high temperatures over the coming months could drive up demand for that water.
The 2024-2025 winter brought close-to-normal and above-normal precipitation to Idaho Falls and Pocatello, respectively, which has resulted in high reservoir levels and a snowpack forecast to give close-to-average runoff. However, the National Weather Service predicts the region will see higher-than-average temperatures and below-average precipitation over the spring and summer, which would cause a higher demand for storage water.
And if a water shortage is to occur this upcoming growing season, last year’s long-term mitigation agreement significantly changes how surface water and groundwater users would respond.
“If they don’t have enough water in those reservoirs to make up for the water they’re not getting out of the sky, then that’s where the issues start,” said Sherrie Hebert, observation program lead of the NWS Pocatello office.
What does eastern Idaho’s water storage look like ahead of the growing season?
The three-month average temperatures from December to February for both Idaho Falls and Pocatello were not out of the ordinary, despite having their second- and third-hottest December on record, respectively. Temperatures cooled off enough in January and February to bring the overall average temperature within a normal range.
The two cities have also seen typical and above-average precipitation levels. The accumulated precipitation over the winter has allowed eastern Idaho to build up its water storage ahead of the growing season.
According to provisional data from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the entire Upper Snake River reservoir system is at 82% of capacity. Although the Jackson Lake is 76% full and the Palisades Reservoir is 72% full, the American Falls Reservoir is 93% full.
How does the snowpack look?
Craig Chandler, the water master for Water District 1, said the winter’s precipitation has improved the snowpack.
“The snowpack has certainly improved from the levels that were we were at early winter,” Chandler said.
The snowpack of the Snake Basin above Palisades is at 114% of median snow water equivalent. The snow water equivalent represents how much liquid water would result if the snowpack melted instantaneously, and because the figure is the percentage of the median, 100% represents the median snow water equivalent.
As for how much runoff this growing season will add to river flows, Chandler said, “It’s a little bit more complicated than just looking at the snowpack.”
“There are a number of agencies out there that look at all this data, and … they come up with a runoff forecast … where they look at all these various pieces of data and then come up with a prediction for the amount of runoff that’s going to come from the snowpack,” Chandler said.
For reference, base flows have stayed at around 89% of average this winter, which Chandler described as a “little low.” The runoff forecast from the Bureau of Reclamation for the beginning of March was 94% of average runoff.
“Now, that’s probably still a good number. It may have kicked up a little bit from there with the snows that we got over the last couple weeks, but we’re probably sitting somewhere in that 95% to 100% of average range for the forecasted runoff,” Chandler said.
Will it be enough?
While reservoir levels and the snowpack have improved over the winter, summer temperatures and precipitation levels play a significant role in how far that water supply will stretch.
“If we have a dry, hot summer, then irrigation needs (are) going to increase, and then that puts more demand on the reservoirs, but if we have good precipitation this year, and not a really hot summer, then that’s not going to put a lot of stress on them,” Hebert said.
Chandler affirmed this, saying, “If we have higher temperatures, that’s going to lead to an increase in irrigation demand. Farmers are going to need to put more water on their crops to help them grow.”
This would mean higher storage water use from surface water users, depleting reservoir levels quicker.
Thanks to last year’s agreement, the 2024 Stipulated Mitigation Plan, groundwater users with junior water rights have “safe harbor” from water curtailments as long as they follow the mitigation plan. But Chandler said that depending on temperature and precipitation levels, groundwater users may have to acquire more storage water to deliver to senior surface water users.
“One of the details of the agreement is an obligation to deliver storage water to the surface water coalition. And so if there’s a higher storage use, that may lead to a scenario where a larger volume of storage water needs to be supplied to keep the senior surface water irrigators whole,” Chandler said.
Hebert said the three-month outlook for April, May and June forecasts temperatures rising to around 35% above normal, with precipitation levels dropping to around 40% to 50% below normal. Looking further into July, August and September, the temperatures are forecast to around 60% to 70% above normal temperatures, with around 40% below normal precipitation.
“So that’s not looking too good for our farmers,” Hebert said.
=htmlentities(get_the_title())?>%0D%0A%0D%0A=get_permalink()?>%0D%0A%0D%0A=htmlentities(‘For more stories like this one, be sure to visit https://www.eastidahonews.com/ for all of the latest news, community events and more.’)?>&subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20EastIdahoNews” class=”fa-stack jDialog”>
Idaho
Idaho is in for a streak of clear skies next week
After a round of showers came through this week, the Gem State is staying dry and clear for next week.
Temperatures finally started to feel winter-like as we take a tumble this weekend. Consistent 40’s the highs, and 20’s the lows.
Conditions on the valley floors are not expected to get past the mid 40’s. Showers appear to be nonexistent for the next 7 to 10 days.
We will also see some air stagnation in our area, meaning that as a high-pressure ridge moves in, not too much change is expected in the air. So, air quality may take a bit of a fall.
Not much more than cold and dry air is on the way for Idaho, but at least the sun will shine for most of the forecast.
Have a great weekend and stay warm!
Idaho
Interstate 84 near Mountain Home back open after utility work
MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Interstate 84 near Mountain Home is back open after crews closed the freeway due to utility work.
Crews closed westbound and eastbound lanes on Saturday morning from milepost 90 to milepost 95 due to Idaho Power working on power lines in the area, according to the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office. All lanes are now back open in both directions.
The sheriff’s office and the Mountain Home Police Department apologized for the inconvenience, saying they were just informed of the closure on Saturday morning.
More information regarding road closures and traffic conditions can be found at the Idaho Transportation Department’s 511 map.
Copyright 2026 KMVT. All rights reserved.
Idaho
Idaho murder victims’ families file wrongful death lawsuit against Washington State University
The families of the four University of Idaho students killed in a brutal 2022 stabbing attack have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Washington State University (WSU), alleging the school ignored repeated warning signs about Bryan Kohberger.
The civil complaint, filed Jan. 7 in Skagit County Superior Court, was brought by Steve Goncalves, father of Kaylee Goncalves; Karen Laramie, mother of Madison Mogen; Jeffrey Kernodle, father of Xana Kernodle; and Stacy Chapin, mother of Ethan Chapin.
The lawsuit accuses WSU of gross negligence, wrongful death and violations of federal education laws, including Title IX. The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified monetary damages.
Attorney Robert Clifford, senior partner at Clifford Law Offices, said that the decision to leave damages “unspecified” is a strategic norm in high-stakes litigation because it prevents the focus from shifting towards sensationalism and keeps the decision firmly in the hands of the jury.
“Ultimately, that’s to be determined and answered by the jury,” said Clifford, who is not involved in the lawsuit. “But you have some compelling facts and the liability is going to depend on the strength of what the school knew.”
Despite Kohberger’s guilty plea in the murders, Clifford explained the civil case remains strong because the families face a lower burden of proof – requiring only a preponderance of evidence to establish the university’s liability.
“The mere fact that he pled guilty might not even be admissible in the civil proceeding because he’s not the defendant, right? If he is a defendant in the civil proceeding, then his plea of guilty will be important. And indeed, this school might try to use that to say, ‘See, it wasn’t our fault. He admits that it was his fault.’ But the bar is different for someone in a criminal proceeding than it is in a civil proceeding.”
According to the lawsuit, WSU hired Kohberger as a teaching assistant in its criminal justice and criminology department and provided him with a salary, tuition benefits, health insurance and on-campus housing.
The victims’ families allege the university had extensive authority over Kohberger’s conduct but failed to act despite mounting concerns.
Here’s the latest coverage on Bryan Kohberger:
The complaint says WSU received at least 13 formal reports accusing Kohberger of threatening, stalking, harassing or predatory behavior toward female students and staff during the fall 2022 semester. The families argue university officials did not meaningfully investigate those complaints or remove Kohberger from campus before the murders – even though they had the authority to do so.
The lawsuit also alleges that the university failed to use its own threat-assessment systems designed to identify individuals who pose a risk of violence, even as concerns about Kohberger escalated. Instead, the families claim, the university continued to employ him, house him and give him access to students.
“The murders were foreseeable and preventable,” the complaint states, alleging WSU prioritized avoiding legal and reputational risk over student safety.
The lawsuit also alleges broad failures within the public university, including alleged dysfunction within campus police and compliance officers who are responsible for handling accusations of misconduct, including sexual harassment and stalking.
Kohberger pleaded guilty in July 2025 to four counts of first-degree murder and burglary. He was sentenced to four consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole.
Prosecutors said Kohberger stabbed the four students in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022, inside an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho, just miles from the WSU campus in Pullman, Washington.
Kohberger was arrested in Pennsylvania in December 2022 following a multi-state investigation.
Authorities linked him to the crime through DNA evidence, surveillance video and cellphone data showing repeated late-night trips near the victims’ home.
WSU has not yet filed a response to the lawsuit. Fox News Digital has reached out to WSU for comment.
-
Detroit, MI1 week ago2 hospitalized after shooting on Lodge Freeway in Detroit
-
Technology5 days agoPower bank feature creep is out of control
-
Dallas, TX2 days agoAnti-ICE protest outside Dallas City Hall follows deadly shooting in Minneapolis
-
Dallas, TX6 days agoDefensive coordinator candidates who could improve Cowboys’ brutal secondary in 2026
-
Delaware2 days agoMERR responds to dead humpback whale washed up near Bethany Beach
-
Iowa5 days agoPat McAfee praises Audi Crooks, plays hype song for Iowa State star
-
Health7 days agoViral New Year reset routine is helping people adopt healthier habits
-
Nebraska4 days agoOregon State LB transfer Dexter Foster commits to Nebraska