By Elise Overgaard
In the spring of 2024, as the sun set over the foothills, researchers, lawmakers, experts and decision makers from across the state gathered at Boise State’s Stueckle Sky Center to discuss how to support Idaho’s water future at the BlueWater Initiative event.
The BlueWater Initiative at Boise State is an interdisciplinary effort uniting scholars across campus to build new educational programs, empower groundwater research and serve Idaho and the country by preserving water, a most cherished resource.
Idaho ranks 39th in the nation in population but third in water use, trailing only California and Texas. The state irrigates 3.3 million acres of land – the fifth highest in the nation – and uses more water for irrigation than any other state except California. Idaho’s aquaculture industry produces more commercial rainbow trout than any other state but also requires the largest freshwater withdrawals for aquaculture in the U.S.
Fortunately, Boise State is ahead of the curve and continues to be a major force for water research and conservation. More than 100 Broncos have graduated with bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from Boise State’s hydrology and hydrologic science programs.
At Boise State, 47 faculty members study water across 15 disciplines – from molecules to mountains, from policy to people. In the past decade, these scholars have conducted over $25 million of externally funded water research. Bronco researchers also engage with more than 45 external partners to co-produce research and train water resource professionals.
Scott Bedke, lieutenant governor of Idaho, spoke at the BlueWater event. A fourth generation rancher, Bedke shared his experiences in negotiating and mediating water rights and water management issues. He encouraged stakeholders to work together to make strategic decisions and plans that can be presented directly to the Idaho Legislature from a united water community. And he stressed the importance of time.
“We live in the fastest growing state in the nation,” Bedke said. “And just because we are doesn’t mean we’re going to get more water. We’re going to have to live with what we’ve got here. And the longer we wait to make strategic decisions, the fewer options we’ll have. I guess that addresses what Benjamin Franklin said, that we’ll know how much the water’s worth when we get to the bottom of the well.”