BOISE - Just hours from cutting water access to nearly 600 Magic Valley groundwater users, the state's water director announced Thursday he was rescinding plans to shut down wells.

That means 16,638 acres of farmland slated for desiccation will continue to get water this summer, farmers will cash in on their crops and a looming recession won't happen.

"I'm very relieved, very relieved," said Dave Tuthill, director of the Idaho Depart-ment of Water Resources. Tuthill would have been Idaho's first director to shut down groundwater pumps to provide water for surface-water users.

The announcement came on the heels of two last-minute proposals submitted to the department by the Idaho Ground Water Appropriators and the Idaho Dairymen's Association. Those groundwater groups promised to provide water to trout farms such as Clear Springs Foods and Blue Lakes Trout Farms, surface spring-water users that were owed water by the pumpers under Idaho's first-come, first-served water law.

Tuthill had said he would cut pumpers' water access today unless they could compensate the trout producers with water or money.

The pumpers' proposals - called mitigation plans - will provide about double what groundwater users had offered earlier this year.

Tuthill also scheduled a hearing for Oct. 10 to further review the case. Pumps will continue to flow this water year, no matter the outcome of that hearing.

Next year, however, is different. An ongoing drought means less water will be available. When asked if curtailment was likely next season, Tuthill said, "I wouldn't be surprised."

For now, though, both sides are breathing sighs of relief. "This is great news for the Magic Valley families facing financial ruin because of this curtailment order," said IGWA President Tim Deeg in statement released to the press. "Those with crops in the ground can look forward to a successful harvest, and Magic Valley and Idaho economies no longer face immediate losses in the tens of millions of dollars."

Trout producers are also pleased. "As long as the mitigation plans provide water to Clear Springs, that's OK with us," said Randy MacMillan, vice president of research at Clear Springs.

The trout farms won't get all of the water owed to them, but the shortage will be less than one percent of current spring flows at the farms, the department said.

The director has liberal discretion in water matters like the curtailment case - a principle that was reaffirmed earlier this year in an Idaho Supreme Court case.

That's were some predict this recent curtailment case will finally end. Tuthill said he expects the losing side at the Oct. 10 hearing to appeal in district court, where any ruling will likely be appealed to Idaho's highest court.

Times-News staff writer Matt Christensen covers the environment. He welcomes comments at 735-3243 and at matt.christensen@lee.net.