"Some irrigation districts will pretty well make it," said Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, who was holding a two-hour drought symposium here. "But if the sugar beet and potato folks get cut off now, it would be dangerous for their crops."

Craig invited representatives from seven federal agencies that deal with agriculture, land management, and financial assistance for farmers, ranchers, and even small businesses affected by Idaho's drought. With reservoirs drying up, ponds empty, wells tapped out, and livestock being pulled early from pasture, farmers and ranchers are looking for water anywhere they can find it.

George Davis, who raises sugar beets, clover seed, wheat, and other crops in the Black Canyon area north of Notus, said he and other farmers in the Payette River Basin could buy valuable time if the federal government released 25,000 acre feet of water from Lake Cascade into the Payette River.

"We've begged and borrowed 25,000 acre feet to keep us going, but there's no more water available to beg, borrow, or steal," Davis said. "The only water left is the 200,000 acre feet in Cascade Reservoir," which federal officials are holding onto.

Davis said mint growers are harvesting their crops early and taking a loss, but they have no other choice. He said he can make it through the middle of September as things are now, but with additional water, farmers could get into October and salvage their beet crops. Also, it would allow them to work their soil this fall. If they have to wait until spring, it could cut their yields 10 to 25 percent.

It's not just farmers.

Golden Millet of Marsing, who raises honey bees commercially for distribution in five states, said bees pollinate about $14 billion worth of crops nationwide, including apples, peaches, and vine crops such as cucumbers and melons.

"When there's no moisture, there's no flowers," Millet said. "And bees need flowers for pollen and nectar, which is honey. We've had a three-year cycle that's dried things up."

The drought, as well as last year's fires, dug into Millet's bee hives. Last year, Millet lost 25,000 bees when bears were burned out of their habitat on the Middle Fork of the Boise River and roamed down to his hives, which they destroyed.

Gov. Dirk Kempthorne has declared drought emergencies in 30 of Idaho's 44 counties, meaning water-right holders in those counties can apply to the state Department of Water Resources for expedited processing of temporary water rights practices.

Richard Sims, state conservationist for the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, said storage at many Idaho reservoirs is at its fourth-lowest level since 1958. Sims said it will take "several years of above-average snowfall" to replenish the reservoirs.

Meanwhile, extraordinary measures, including how federal rangeland is used, are being implemented. Ranchers are voluntarily bringing livestock home to ease pressure on scorched and wilted rangeland.

"If it's just a lack of water, water can be hauled and there are programs to do that," said Intermountain Regional Forester Jack Blackwell. "What really gets serious is when one year of drought follows another year of drought. The vegetation is absolutely stressed this year. We know this is a difficult summer, and there will be problems."