University of Idaho faculty Karen Humes and Russell Qualls, along with their students, analyzed 30 years of crop water use data in southern Idaho to understand variations in irrigation application needs. Their research examined how differences in wet versus dry years and cool versus warm years influence crop water use and irrigation needs. By considering forecasted climate conditions, farmers can make informed decisions about crop selection and irrigation allocation, optimizing water use and improving overall agricultural efficiency.
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Monitoring Idaho’s Water Bodies
This story was written by Guest author: Craig Nelson on behalf of the Our Gem Collaborative team for the CDA Press on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Read the original article. Idaho is well-recognized for its scenic streams, rivers and lakes, with abundant water recreation opportunities that attract visitors from around the globe. In order to assure that Idaho’s water bodies remain clean and available for swimming, fishing and domestic water supply, continuous monitoring and evaluation are needed. Idaho Department of Environmental…
Harmful Algae Blooms (H.A.B.s)
Written by guest author Gabby Pfeiffer Harmful algae blooms (HABs) are a serious threat to the lake’s health and water-based recreation. That murky green film can have serious health impacts. Some cyanobacterial blooms (harmful algae blooms) can cause harm to your skin, liver and nervous system. Adequate exposure to the harmful bloom can cause a variety of symptoms in both humans and animals. In fact, every year nationwide there are accounts of serious illness and death of dogs. If your…
The Great Lake Debate
Shoreline concerns are among many threats to the health of Coeur d’Alene Lake. This article was written by Jennifer Passaro and published in the CDA Press on Friday, April 3, 2020. Read the original article. In a packed room at the Iron Horse Restaurant in downtown Coeur d’Alene shortly before the coronavirus hit, the Four County Natural Resources Committee met over lunch.Federal and state resource managers, scientists, concerned citizens and a handful of local elected officials including Kootenai County Commissioner Chris…
OUR GEM: Understanding TMDLs and Restoring Water Quality in Idaho
Written by Jade Clickenbeard, Watershed Analyst for the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality Water quality is essential for the health of Idaho’s communities, ecosystems, and economies. Unfortunately, many of the region’s rivers, lakes, and streams face water quality issues, often related to pollution from agriculture, urban runoff, and legacy mine waste contamination. In Idaho, the Clean Water Act (CWA) provides a framework for addressing these challenges, and one of the key tools used to restore impaired water bodies is the…
BSU Team Develop New Approaches to Estimating Contributions to Streamflow
Boise State University faculty Anna Bergstrom and her team investigated rain and snowmelt contributions to streamflow in the Mores Creek Watershed spanning the rain-snow transition zone in southwestern Idaho. Researchers commonly use naturally occurring water isotopes to track water sources allowing for the quantification of if streams are sourced from rain or snow. By developing new approaches to define rain and snow isotopic signatures, Bergstrom and team found that streamflow contribution estimates can vary by up to 20%, depending on…
IWRRI Grant Recipients Work on Sediment Transport Physics
Gianluca Blois, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Idaho’s Boise campus, works at the Center for Ecohydraulics Research (CER) with students to study how water moves through streams and rivers. Their research focuses on how stationary objects, like plants, affect water flow and the movement of sediments. This study used a specialized laboratory flume—a controlled stream environment—to measure water speed and pressure in aquatic systems. While scientists have long studied how landscape features like riverbanks and terrain…