42-1701. CREATION OF DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES — DIRECTOR — QUALIFICATIONS — DUTIES. (1) There is hereby created the department of water resources, which shall, for the purposes of section 20, article IV, of the constitution of the state of Idaho, be an executive department of the state government.

(2) The executive and administrative authority of the department, except such authority as is specifically assigned by law to the water resource board, shall be vested in a director of the department of water resources who shall be: a licensed civil or agricultural engineer with not less than five (5) years of experience in the active practice of such profession; a registered geologist with not less than five (5) years of experience in the active practice of hydrology; or a hydrologist holding a bachelor’s or advanced degree in hydrology from a college or university accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting organization and with not less than five (5) years of experience in surface water and ground water modeling, water delivery and water measurement. The director of the department of water resources shall also demonstrate experience and expertise in interpreting and applying Idaho water law and shall be familiar with irrigation and other water use practices in Idaho.

(3) The director may delegate such duties as are imposed upon him by law to an employee of the department of water resources whenever in the opinion of the director, such delegation is necessary for the efficient administration of his duties.

(4) The director shall organize the department into such divisions and other administrative subunits as may be necessary in order to efficiently administer the department. All employees of the department, except the director, shall be selected and appointed by the director in conformance with the provisions of chapter 53, title 67, Idaho Code.

(5) The director and/or employees of the department of water resources may make reasonable entry upon any lands in the state for the purpose of making investigations and surveys, or for other purposes necessary to carry out the duties imposed by law.

(6) (a) Any authorization or order of the Idaho public utilities commission, under the provisions of section 61-328, Idaho Code, approving the sale, assignment or transfer of hydropower water rights used in the generation of electric power shall be issued only upon such conditions as the director of the department of water resources shall require as necessary to prevent any change in use of water under the water rights held for hydropower purposes that would cause injury to any water rights existing on the date of the sale, assignment or transfer. Any such conditions shall ensure that the public interest, as it pertains to the use of water under the hydropower water rights, will not be adversely affected. Conditions, if any, imposed by the director shall be subject to review under section 42-1701A(4), Idaho Code.

(b) Subsection (6)(a) of this section may be satisfied by a written agreement between the holder of a water right held for hydropower purposes and the governor, which agreement has been ratified by the legislature of the state of Idaho. The agreement between the governor and the Idaho power company dated October 15, 1984, and ratified by the legislature of the state of Idaho pursuant to section 42-203B, Idaho Code, and the subordination provisions relating to the Idaho power company’s water rights satisfy subsection (6)(a) of this section.

History:

[(42-1701) 1895, p. 215, sec. 7; reen. 1899, p. 282, sec. 6; reen. R.C., sec. 154; reen. C.L. 126:7; C.S., sec. 2983; I.C.A., sec. 41-1501; am. 1974, ch. 20, sec. 4, p. 533; am. 2000, ch. 224, sec. 3, p. 620; am. 2014, ch. 103, sec. 1, p. 304.]