Idaho

Water Outlook does not look promising in SW Idaho, but it could be worse without all the precipitation

Published

5 months ago

January 8, 2026

Water Outlook does not look promising in SW Idaho, but it could be worse without all the precipitation

BOISE, Idaho — It has been a dismal year for snow, but we’ve actually received more precipitation than normal in the Boise and Payette River basins. The difference has been the temperature, and we are trying to learn what the change in climate means for water users— both commercial and recreational.

“If you think about the lack of snow we have gotten in the Treasure Valley, it is unusual,” said hydrologist Troy Lindquist with the National Weather Service.

Click here to see the conditions and hear from the National Weather Service.

Water Outlook does not look promising, but it could be worse without all the precipitation

The mountains of western and central Idaho received some snow this week, and that bumped up the snow water equivalent to 83 percent of average in the Boise Basin, 81 percent in the Payette River Basin, and 69 percent in the Weiser River Basin.

The lack of snow is obvious at lower elevations, but we have also received 4.88 inches of rain at the Boise Airport since the beginning of October, a full inch above the average. I wanted to talk with Troy Linquist to learn more about this strange winter and what it means for the future.

“If we don’t have that mid and low elevation snowpack, that’s just overall going to decrease the spring run-off,” said Lindquist. “Instead of it holding as snow and holding in the mountains, that rain has increased the reservoir system.”

I’ve been out kayaking as the South Fork of the Payette River is flowing at normal summer levels and has been for several weeks.

Most of Idaho’s rivers are flowing higher than normal, including Mores Creek, which dumps into Lucky Peak Reservoir.

It’s good news, but not as good as if the precipitation was sticking around in the mountains in the form of a deep snowpack.

Mores Creek just above Lucky Peak Reservoir

“If we just don’t get the snow that is going to impact the water supply, it’s going to impact vegetation, spring flows, the health of the ecosystem, and stuff like that,” added Lindquist.

The team at the National Weather Service will continue to monitor the situation daily and Troy Lindquist told me the outlook for the next ten days doesn’t look good. However, the wet winter months are a marathon, not a sprint— with several months left to improve the outlook. That said, it could also get worse.

The reservoirs have added water from the rivers and streams

“We got the second half of January, February, and March where we can accumulate snowpack,” explained Lindquist. “We do have time to see that snowpack recover, and that’s what we are hoping for.”

The Boise system has pretty good carryover from last year between Anderson Ranch, Arrowrock, and Lucky Peak. The system is 58 percent full, and the Payette system is 71 percent full.

Snow water equivalent after this week's snow

Some of Idaho’s river basins are actually doing pretty well right now, but southern Idaho is doing the worst, as the Owyhee River Basin is sitting at 20 percent of its average snowpack.

ALSO READ | Lemons into lemonade: Kayakers get a unique, winter opportunity while snow conditions worsen

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Idaho

Idaho Prepares to Make Firing Squad Primary Execution Method

Published

5 hours ago

June 12, 2026

Press Room

Idaho Prepares to Make Firing Squad Primary Execution Method

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — The Idaho Department of Corrections has laid out its plans to implement a new law governing executions in Idaho.

The Idaho legislature passed, and Governor Little signed into law, new legislation that changes the primary form of execution in Idaho to the firing squad. A 36-page document obtained by Idahonews.com outlines the standard operating procedures for the implementation and use of the firing squad.

The policy states that executions in Idaho may be carried out by either lethal injection or firing squad, in accordance with state law. The department says the procedures are intended to ensure executions are conducted in compliance with the U.S. and Idaho constitutions and applicable state statutes.

Under the updated procedures, the firing squad team will consist of volunteer members who have extensive firearms training and experience. To qualify, volunteers must hold Idaho Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification for at least three years and demonstrate 100% shooting accuracy during proficiency testing conducted under conditions similar to those in the execution chamber.

The document also establishes detailed selection criteria for medical team members responsible for administering lethal injections. Medical personnel must have at least three years of relevant experience and demonstrate proficiency in intravenous access and medication administration. This comes after the botched execution of Thomas Creech. The medical team was unable to establish an IV line on Creech after multiple attempts.

DOJ announces it is bringing back firing squads in federal executions

Correction officials emphasized that participation on execution teams is voluntary. Staff members may withdraw from participation at any time, and the identities of firing squad members, medical personnel, and others involved in the execution process will remain confidential under Idaho rules.

The procedures require regular training and rehearsals for execution teams. Team members must complete at least four training sessions annually and additional rehearsals after a death warrant is issued. In the 48 hours before a scheduled execution, the team must participate in multiple training sessions and rehearsals.

The policy also outlines procedures for witness access, media accommodations, security operations, and contingency planning in the event of legal challenges or execution delays. Officials say the procedures are designed to balance public access to information with the privacy rights of victims’ families and the condemned person.

Idaho lawmakers approved firing squad executions earlier this year, making Idaho one of a small number of states that authorize the method. The Department of Corrections’ updated procedures establish how the state would carry out that method if it is certified as the available means of execution.

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Idaho

Idaho Fish and Game is hosting Free Fishing Day at Kleiner Pond this Saturday

Published

15 hours ago

June 12, 2026

Press Room

Idaho Fish and Game is hosting Free Fishing Day at Kleiner Pond this Saturday

MERIDIAN, Idaho — Idaho Fish and Game is continuing their Free Fishing Day tradition at local waters across Idaho on Saturday, June 13.

Fish and Game employees and volunteers will provide training as well as fishing gear, including rods, reels and tackle. The event offers a chance for beginners and families to learn how to fish.

WATCH | Don’t miss Idaho Fish and Game’s Free Fishing Day!

Idaho Fish and Game hosts Free Fishing Day

Gear is limited, so participants are encouraged to bring their own equipment if they have it.

While fishing licenses aren’t required to participate, all other fishing rules and regulations, including creel limits, opening dates, and tackle restrictions, remain in effect.

RELATED | Idaho Fish & Game to host free fishing this Saturday across the Gem State!

Participants should check the seasons and rules for the water where they plan to fish.

You can find all participating locations on Idaho Fish and Game’s website.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Send tips to Meridian & Boise State neighborhood reporter Allie Triepke

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Idaho

University Of Idaho Extension Launches Program To Train Veterans For Farming Careers

Published

1 day ago

June 11, 2026

Press Room

University Of Idaho Extension Launches Program To Train Veterans For Farming Careers

BOISE – University of Idaho Extension is launching a new incarnation of its Harvest Heroes program in collaboration with the Farmer Veteran Coalition of Idaho and the city of Boise to prepare military veterans for careers in small-scale agriculture.

Extension is establishing a farm incubator for military veterans at Spaulding Ranch Park—a 20-acre, historic homestead owned and maintained by Boise Parks and Recreation. Participating veterans will work alongside Extension to grow a market garden, receiving regular hands-on instruction from Extension experts, guest presenters, and veteran farmer mentors.

The program will also offer flexible online training and monthly intensive workshops. Enrollment is free for participating veterans and their families, who will have season-long access to an orchard, a beekeeping apiary, a weekly onsite farmers market and accessible gardens featuring adaptive gardening technology for those with disabilities. Enrollment for the program is continuous.

Following a season of working together on the community plot, graduates will manage their own incubator plots to advance their farm business ideas with support and minimal risk.

UI Extension reached a memorandum of understanding with Boise in 2020 to assist with education and food production at the park, homesteaded in 1896 by the family of Boise’s first woman surgeon, Dr. Mary Spaulding.

The teaching and incubator farm is a key component of a project funded by a three-year, $744,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant that Extension received in March. The grant will also fund hands-on training activities in northern Idaho and regional workshops connecting veteran farmers with each other and with USDA resources and programs. Furthermore, the funds will help Extension and partners establish military-friendly online resources and decision tools.

“Idaho ranks seventh in the nation in veteran population, and for some, agriculture is a good fit for their considerable skills and desire to continue serving their country,” said UI Extension area educator Ariel Agenbroad, Ada County, who is the grant’s principal investigator. “We know that they encounter significant barriers to entry like access to land, education and training, peer mentorship, and sometimes service-connected disabilities. We hope to reach folks who are interested in learning to farm and provide them with a place and the resources to explore the possibilities, as well as veterans who are already farming so that we can support their success.”

Agenbroad is collaborating on the program with Connie May, an Extension colleague who dually represents the Farmer Veteran Coalition’s Idaho Chapter and is a retired U.S. Air Force member. Other major partners in the program include extension educator Iris Mayes, Latah County; Jeffrey Mason, assistive technology consultant with U of I’s Center on Disabilities and Human Development; the city of Boise; the Idaho Veterans Chamber of Commerce; and the Idaho State Department of Agriculture Idaho Preferred Program.

The grant will fund the establishment of greenhouses, sheds, push tillers, and other equipment for small-scale farming. The city has also prioritized improving the park, adding a new parking lot, a restroom, and a pack-and-wash station.

Produce grown by the Harvest Heroes program will be shared among participants and distributed through organizations supporting food-insecure veterans and community members.

The curriculum for the summer-long program is adapted from the first iteration of Harvest Heroes, which Agenbroad and May led from 2019 to 2022 in Nampa, and the Cultivating Success Program, which has been providing education, mentorship, and resources for beginning and experienced small-acreage farmers for more than 20 years.

“We are becoming so urban we feel lucky to be able to provide this space at the heart of the city,” said Lisa Duplessie, foothills and open space superintendent for the city of Boise. “We have long seen the vision of what this property could be and always knew U of I was one of the partners we wanted to work with. They have a huge agricultural presence, not just in the Treasure Valley, but also across the state.”

Agenbroad aims to serve a combined group of about 45 veterans throughout the three years of the summer-long training.

Mindi Anderson, executive director and founder of the Idaho Veteran’s Chamber of Commerce, believes the Extension grant will fill a niche by helping veterans in the community heal and find purpose.

“Extension is creating a space for discussion about how we can support veterans in farming,” said Anderson, whose nonprofit organization offers free services to veterans and connects them with resources. “The more resources that we have to share and help our veterans get connected, the healthier they will be in the long run.”

Anyone wishing to become involved in the new Harvest Heroes program in Boise may contact Extension at harvestheroes@uidaho.edu.

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