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Diplomatic humor helps Roger Musser divvy up water
Wa t e r m a s t e r R o g e r Musser adjusts a head gate near Malta. Despite conflicts among various water interests, Roger is able to keep most users focused on the importance of the system working smoothly and fairly with as little tension as possible. Diplomacy and technology help. [Photo by Dianna Troyer]
By Dianna Troyer With another irrigation season over, water master Roger Musser laughs about its usual unpredictability and how his seasonal job is as entertaining as any reality television show. “This season started off as a disaster,” says Roger, water master of Cassia Creek Irrigation District 43C. “In mid-May, we were in trouble with almost no rainfall. I was afraid I was going to have to shut off people’s water early. A week later, any farmer on Cassia Creek had all the water they could use and then some. By June, some people were dealing with flooding. You never know what will happen around here.” Driving his red 1989 Ford pickup, a familiar sight to ranchers, Roger navigates the byways and remote dirt roads he has known since childhood, monitoring water levels in ditches, creeks, and springs for the irrigation district. From April to the end of October, he divvies up 9,000 to 10,000 acre-feet of water for 65 water rights holders. The oldest water rights, having the highest priority, date back to 1872. “For me, it’s the most enjoyable job I’ve ever had,” says Roger, 72. “I love the solitude, puttering around this beautiful valley, and helping deliver water to people who raised me. “There’s a saying, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ Well, in my case it took the people of Elba and Malta both to keep me alive. This job is a way to repay them, a second chance to make up for my wild youthful behavior.” Since 2002, Roger has worked as the water master, an elected position. He replaced his late father-in-law, Gene Ward, the longtime water master, and his cousin, Tommy Hutchison, who did the job for 13 years. “So far, no one has run against me,” says Roger. “I tell people when they get sick of me to put someone else on the ballot.” When he started as water master, Roger had just retired after working 34 years for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, dealing with drug treatment and foster care programs. “Compared to that job with all its bureaucracy, this is easy,” says Roger, who works several days a week distributing the water. Historically, working as a water master was often a thankless job with ranchers venting their anger when their water had to be shut off. “Two things have made it a little easier,” says Roger. “These days, most people have irrigation wells, so they’re not so dependent on surface water any more. Plus, with cell phones, I can let people know quickly if I have to shut off their water.” (Continued on page 30)