Gary Spackman, interim director of the Idaho Department of Water Resources, said spending reductions during the current fiscal year have led to several staffing cuts. He said there are now fewer state employees working on the dam safety program and water rights issues. He also said the Department laid off its public information officer.
Spackman told lawmakers on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee that any more reductions will also come out of personnel. “We’ve depleted our operating expense budget.” The department faces an addition $1.6 million reduction in state spending in the next budget, based on Gov. Butch Otter’s recommendations.
The department is expected to get $1 million in federal stimulus funding for the Eastern Snake Plane Aquifer Comprehensive Aquifer Management Plan. That $1 million is the minimum that Idaho Water Resources Board administrator Hal Anderson said is necessary to continue work on the aquifer plan in the next budget year.
