JFAC OKs funds to repair P. Lake

BOISE — The Idaho Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee voted Feb. 27 to fund repairs to Priest Lake, following Gov. Butch Otter’s recommendation.

The committee voted to allocate the Idaho Department of Water Resources $2.4 million from the state’s General Fund for upgrades to the Priest Lake Outlet Dam and repairs to the Thorofare — the waterway connecting Priest Lake to Upper Priest Lake.

However, the committee intends for up to $5 million to be used for the lake, utilizing money from an existing fund. $5 million is the estimated amount needed for all necessary repairs and upgrades.

“It should get us pretty well done with that Priest Lake project,” said Sen. Steve Bair, R-Blackfoot.

State budget analyst Rob Sepich said unused funding meant for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, which retires land irrigated by groundwater, would instead be used for Priest Lake.

“There hasn’t been as much utilization (of) that funding as was originally anticipated,” Sepich said. “So the board would like to utilize that funding — about $2.42 million of that funding — to work within the Priest Lakes project.”

The Idaho Water Resource Board voted in January to allocate $2.4 million toward Priest Lake upgrades, according to the Spokesman-Review.

Nina Rydalch covers the 2018 Idaho Legislature for the University of Idaho McClure Center for Public Policy Research.