Otter seeks Thorofare funding

BOISE — Idaho Department of Water Resources Director Gary Spackman presented the department’s 2019 proposed budget to the state’s legislative financial committee Friday morning. Among other line items, the budget includes Gov. Butch Otter’s recommendation of $2.4 million to fund Priest Lake infrastructure.

The money would go toward an estimated $5 million in upgrades to infrastructure to maintain required water levels for the North Idaho lake in years with less water, and to repair the breakwater entrance to the “Thorofare,” the strip of water that connects Priest Lake to Upper Priest Lake.

“We have had years up there — honestly — and in particular 2015 was a low-water year in Northern Idaho,” Spackman said Friday. “It was difficult to sustain the lake levels and still have some water flowing down Priest River. And there was local anxiety about it and some controversy.”

The governor recommended the $2.4 million for the project specifically so the director could meet statutory obligations, Spackman said. The other half of the money was not recommended, but Rep. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay, said in an interview he is hopeful the full $5 million will be appropriated this year.

“From what the director said, (IDWR) would like to, and of course our district up there would like to address the entire issue right now,” Dixon said. “There’s the will to do it.”

Dixon said he and Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, have talked to other legislators on the committee regarding the funds. If they do not get the full amount, he said they will ask for the other half next session. Keough and Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, were unavailable for comment.

Spackman told the committee those on the Water Resource Board said they may contribute funds to the project as well.

“That’s a premier recreational amenity up there and an attraction for people,” Spackman said about the Thorofare. “It’s loaded and boated by many people who visit the lake, and there’s some problems at the downstream end with sedimentation at the mouth so that it’s almost not navigable at times.”

Fred Cox, an active member of the “Save the Thorofare” project, said in an interview that though the water level problems of 2015 brought attention to the problems Priest Lake has been facing, the more pressing issue was that of the Thorofare.

“We would be terribly disappointed if the breakwater is made secondary to fulfilling the water level problems,” Cox said.

As the discussion of Priest Lake infrastructure came to a close, co-chair Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, pointed out that one of the representatives seemed pleased with the governor’s recommendation for Priest Lake funding.

“Rep. (Sage) Dixon (R-Ponderay) is smiling, so all’s well because that’s his area as well,” she said to chuckles from the committee.

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